A THUG who tried to mug two 14-year-old schoolboys with a masked accomplice has been given a 12-month jail term.

Michael Boothby, 27, behaved like a mean bully towards the frightened victims during the night-time attacks in Burnley in January, the town’s crown court was told.

The defendant, formerly of Burnley, but more recently of Princess Street, in Church, is already serving four years behind bars after earlier admitting burglary, blackmail, theft and affray.

On Monday, Judge Simon Newell gave him another 12 months, to run consecutively, after he was convicted by a jury of two charges of attempted robbery.

The judge told the defendant he had been substantially older than the victims and his associate had been wearing a disguise.

But, added the judge, no weapon had been used, Tim Storrie, for Boothby, said such offences almost always attracted imprisonment and any sentence was likely to be consecutive.

In March, Boothby was locked up for being one of three drunken men who subjected a love triangle widower to a terror ordeal, after pushing their way into his Burnley home.

In the two-part trouble, the victim had been threatened and intimidated by the trio.

He was also stolen from and the haul had included a diamond ring which had belonged to his late wife.

Boothby had begun to blackmail the victim, saying he could be protected from one of his co-defendants for several hundred pounds.

He had taken him to a cash machine, also helped himself to the victim’s car keys and drove the vehicle away.

The hearing was told that the defendant’s partner had died not long before, leaving him alone with a child, he had turned to drink and had become associated with the co-defendant.

The defendant, formerly of Pritchard Street, Burnley, had a long criminal record.