A teenage bully who robbed and beat up two younger Southend boys has been locked up.

Tony Fairburn, 17, held the boys at knifepoint and put them through a terrifying 20-minute ordeal by ordering them to help steal cars.

He warned that if the boys reported him to police he would send for people from London to deal with them.

Fairburn, who was on the run for other offences, met up with the youngsters, aged 15 and 16, at Southend seafront in July.

They accompanied him to various parked cars and Fairburn tried to force open doors, causing £1,600 in damage, Basildon Crown Court heard.

Because the boys showed reluctance, Fairburn demanded they hand over a watch and their rings.

He later punched one of the youngsters in the face and headbutted the other. They both suffered injuries.

Eventually the terrified pair ran away from Fairburn and hid in a garden. But an elderly householder saw part of the incident and called in police officers.

In court, Fairburn, of Blyth Avenue, Shoebury, admitted robbing the boys, two counts of common assault and six counts of criminal damage.

He has previous convictions for burglary, theft, criminal damage and shoplifting.

His barrister, Colin Allan, said the defendant was lying when he said he had friends in London to sort out the boys.

Mr Allan added: "He is not normally a bully or a violent person.

"He cannot handle drink but had been drinking heavily to celebrate the fact he had just completed his first week at work in a factory."

He was told by Judge Philip Clegg that he had subjected the two boys to 20 minutes of terror while virtually holding them captive.

Fairburn was given a 12-month detention and training order which he must serve after his present six month sentence imposed for previous offending.