TWO prolific criminals have been jailed for more than five years each for their part in two knifepoint robberies.

Their two victims were walking home separately when they were threatened by a masked man armed with a knife and had their iPhones stolen.

Burnley Crown Court heard three defendants admitted their part in the joint enterprise knifepoint robberies.

Christopher Turner, 26, and Peter Hammerton, 30, both of Howarth House, Blackburn, were sentenced to five years and three months with an extension period of three years.

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James Kerr, 36, of no fixed address, will be sentenced at a later date.

The court heard all three had recently been released from prison, were on licence and were staying at the Howarth House hostel on June 29 when they left armed with a knife and a mask at around 9.20pm

Prosecuting David Temkin said: “The 23-year-old complainant Samuel Whalley was walking across King’s Court. He was approached by one defendant who had his face hidden by a mask.

“The defendant stood directly in front of him and said, with regards to the phone, ‘let me look at that’.

“The masked man produced a seven-inch knife and held it to his chest.

“He said ‘give it to me or I will shank you’.”

The court heard the defendant snatched the phone while the other two were stood about five metres away.

“It is unclear who held the knife. CCTV shows Hammerton walk in front of a camera and remove the mask. The crown suggests the first man was Hammerton,” he said.

Just moments later in the grounds of Blackburn College, the trio struck again as 18-year-old Faisel Fareed was walking home.

Mr Temkin said: “One said ‘where are you going?’. He did not reply and that male said if you move I will stab you and the complainant could see the blade of the knife in that male’s waistband.

“He reached inside the complainant’s jacket and removed his phone.”

CCTV images showed Hammerton pushing the complainant while Turner was some distance behind.

The court heard Turner returned to the hostel alone and while trying to gain entry jumped over a wall and broke his leg. Hammerton returned later and Kerr fled to his girlfriend’s house.

The court heard Hammerton had 31 convictions for 46 offences and in 2013 he was sentenced to eight years eight months for five robberies. He was released in May 2017.

Turner had 13 convictions for 25 offences and was jailed for four years after stabbing a man in the neck.

In victim personal impact statements read to the court, Mr Whalley said the incident had left him anxious and afraid to walk home after work while Mr Fareed said it had affected him socially and psychologically.

Defending Hammerton, Philip Holden, said he would be in custody for a very long time and had pleaded guilty while ‘as serious as the offences are he has not used any physical violence’.

Defending Turner, Daniel Harmen, said he was clearly remorseful as he had pleaded guilty early on.

“He is rather at the back of what went on but he accepts he was there and was offering support by his presence.”