An Arlesey teenager has been sentenced to 12 months custody after being convicted of robbing a schoolboy in Stotfold of £1.90.
Ciaran Monagle, 19, denied being the culprit but was found guilty of robbery by a jury at Luton Crown Court last month.
Today (Friday) the court was told he still maintains his innocence.
Clive Smith, defending also said that Monagle, from House Lane, Arlesey, was now working six days a week at a job he enjoys, has stopped drinking and rarely goes out.
"He is a young man who has shown the greatest capacity to change."
The barrister urged the Judge to suspend the sentence.
But Recorder Simon Carr told Monagle: "You are a despicable bully who was preying on this younger boy. He was scared he was going to be beaten so he handed over his money.
"I know you now have a job which you are doing very well at and that you still deny this offence and that no actual violence was used but it was still a deeply worrying experience for the boys.
"It is so serious that only an immediate sentence of youth custody is appropriate."
At the start of his three day trial, prosecutor Beverley Cripps told the jury that the 14 year old victim and a friend were walking along Regent Street, Stotfold on February 5 this year when they saw a group of eight or nine young men on the corner of Church Street.
She said Monagle approached him and threatened to beat him up if he did not give him some money.
"He pulled out £1.90 and handed it to the defendant," she said.
Initially the victim did not want any action taken because he did not want any further trouble, but he told his mother what had happened and she called police.
"When Monagle was arrested he said he had been in the area and had had a bit to drink but was not drunk and said he did not know anything about a robbery".
A 15-year-old who was also accused told police that he saw what was going on and tried to stop it. He also pleaded not guilty to robbery and was cleared by the jury.
