A MUGGER who threatened to smash the faces of his defenceless victims has been jailed for 32 months.

Bully John Piggott, 23, mugged five youths during a four-day crime spree in Trafford, during which he promised to hunt them down if they reported him to the police.

And when he was arrested he claimed he was collecting drug debts from the victims, three 16-year-olds and two 15-year-olds.

Piggott, who has nine convictions since 1997, pleaded guilty to robbery.

Gary Woodhall, prosecuting at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, said: "At approximately 7pm on July 31 this year, two friends entered Brooklands Metro station, near Sale.

"The defendant stood in their way and asked them for some change.

"In total the boys handed over £6.10 but the defendant demanded one of the boys go to a cashpoint.

"The victim said he didn't know where a bank was so the defendant demanded the boys' mobile phones but left threatening to break their jaws.

"At 9.50am the following day Piggott threatened to "smash in the face" of a 15-year-old boy who was at Sale Metrolink station.

"The boy handed over £165 in cash.

"The day after on 2 August, the defendant approached a 16-year-old boy at Sale Metro.

"He had a knife in his pocket and the boy could see the handle.

"The boy handed over a £150 phone and £30 in cash.

"The following day at the Stretford Arndale Centre the defendant approached another 16-year-old boy.

"The police were passing and saw him standing over the boy taking a £10 note.

"The defendant claimed the boy handed over the money to pass it on to another person for cannabis he had bought.

"That's a derogatory assertion."

Amy Nicholson, defending, said Piggott, of Telford Walk, Old Trafford, was determined to change his ways after his mother died while he was in custody.

Sentencing, Judge Adrian Smith, said: "The message must go out that anybody who does this will receive a custodial sentence."