Two thugs have been locked up after a man was robbed at knifepoint outside a block of flats.
The terrifying incident took place in January last year when two men went to visit a friend in South Shields.
Stephen Nelson and Jason Scanlon were at the same building, it was said at Newcastle Crown Court.
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Nelson, who was in a ground floor flat, claimed he was owed money and made a demand for £400.
One of the victims saw Nelson produce a knife and ran away, hiding in a nearby bush.
Nelson then approached the second victim, who was sitting inside his car outside the flats. He got in and was joined by Scanlon.
Both of them had knives. One knife was held at the victim's throat and his clothing was ripped from him, the court heard.
A hoodie and mobile phone were stolen as well as the man's driving licence and bank cards.
In a statement, the victim who was robbed told the court: "This incident has scared me and shaken me up. This caused me to have issues with anxiety. I feel like I want to move out of the area."
Now the two offenders have been put behind bars for their actions.
Nelson, 19, of Marston lane, South Shields, pleaded guilty to robbery on the basis it was not pre-meditated and also admitted possession of a blade, while Scanlon, 39, of Cook Close, South Shields, admitted affray and possession of a blade.
Nelson also pleaded guilty to affray, unlawful wounding and possession of an offensive weapon in relation to a separate offence, which took place in December 2020. It involved a co-defendant, Andrew Calvert, who admitted affray.
Prosecutor Damian Broadbent said that offence took place outside a fish and chip shop in Horsley Hill Square, South Shields.
On that day, a man and his mother, who were known to Nelson and Calvert, were attacked.
The man went into the chip shop, followed by Nelson, while Calvert stood outside, said Mr Broadbent.
Nelson came out with a metal bar hidden under his jacket. A staff member asked him to leave the area but he brandished the weapon towards the entrance of the shop.
The female victim, who had known Nelson and his parents since he was a baby, came across to protect her son and tried to stop him.
There was a "squaring off" between the two groups before Nelson struck the woman with the metal bar, causing her "a nasty" 2in to 3in cut to the back of her head, it was said.
A confrontation followed between Calvert and the woman's son. Calvert was seen kicking him while he was on the ground.
Passers-by came to help the mother and son. The woman was taken to hospital and needed staples for her wound.
In a statement to the court, the woman said: "This incident has had a profound effect on my life. Now a year on, I relive the incident on a daily basis.
"If I'm out shopping at the local shops where this took place, I'm constantly on edge."
Nelson's barrister told the court the defendant was only 18 at the time of the offences and had a "lack of maturity". He also had issues with drug use, which he had been trying to address while he was in custody over a year.
Miss Recorder Davies sentenced Nelson to three and a half years in prison, while Scanlon was given 21 months in jail.
It was said that Calvert, 20, of Horton Avenue, South Shields, had shown remorse for his actions and was capable of being rehabilitated.
He received 12 months in custody, suspended for 18 months, for the affray offence outside the chip shop. He was also ordered to carry out rehabilitation activities and 150 hours of unpaid work.
