A Chippenham teenager got a college friend in a headlock in the street to demand the return of money he claimed he was owed.

Christopher Bell, who has previous convictions for robbery, left his victim in tears after launching the attack But after hearing the 18-year-old was ashamed of himself for what he had done and was due to start a catering course at college next month a judge passed a suspended sentence.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told Swindon crown court how the incident took place on the night of Friday May 15.

She said 18-year-old Stuart Miller was grabbed by Bell and put into a headlock before being searched to see what he had in his pockets.

Miss Marlow said a woman returning from work saw what was going on and intervened to stop the incident.

“She could clearly see Mr Miller was distressed and crying, having difficulty breathing and she intervened,” she said.

“Mr Bell accepted that while in this position he patted down the pockets of the victim with intent to rob him.”

She told the court that in May 2007 he was put on a community sentence by magistrates for two counts of robbery.

Bell, of Larkham Rise, Chippenham, pleaded guilty to assault with intent to rob.

Paul Cook, defending, said “He had loaned him £5 which had not been repaid. He bumped into him on the day in question and wanted his money back.

“He went the wrong way about it. He accepts he lost his temper, held him in a headlock and patted him down.

“It was a short lived incident but clearly unplanned by virtue of the fact that there witnesses there at the scene.”

Mr Cook said his client lost his father when he was twelve or thirteen and started getting into trouble as a 14-year-old.

He said his stability was not helped by him spending periods in care and since the offence he has cut back on his drinking and drug use.

After offending as a younger teen he said his client was trying to stay out of trouble until the latest offence.

Mr Cook said “He is regretful and ashamed of himself that that chain was broken by this offence.”

He said that Bell had served 35 days in custody on remand which is the equivalent of a two-and-a-half month jail term.

Judge Douglas Field said “The offence itself may not be the most serious of these sorts of offences but the aggravating feature in your case is that you have these two previous convictions for robbery and that is very concerning.”

He imposed a 24 week jail term suspended for two years and ordered him to do 120 hours of community service.