A man has been jailed for two street robberies in Colchester.

Sammy Jefford was told by a Chelmsford Crown Court judge people were entitled to walk the streets without being robbed by people like him.

Jefford, 21, asked one man for 20p and when he was refused money said "If I had a gun I would have mugged you by now."

He was handed some banknotes before leaving the scene in the town's Eld Lane on December 2 last year.

The following month, on January 19, Jefford approached another man near Avon Way and asked for money before saying to the man: "Give me your money or I'll stab you in the chest."

He was handed £10 and snatched more notes from the man before running off, the court heard.

Jefford, from Magnolia Drive, Colchester, admitted one charge of robbery and asked for a similar matter to be considered when he appeared in court for sentence.

He also admitted being in breach of a community order imposed for supplying heroin and crack cocaine to undercover police officers in May last year.

Judge Charles Gratwicke jailed him for a total of three-and-a-half years.

Mark Brown, mitigating, said drugs were behind Jefford's offending but he was now drug-free. He was planning to move from the area once he has served his sentence, Mr Brown said.