A 28-year-old father who carried out two terrifying robberies has been jailed by a judge for a total of eight years.

Anthony Bycroft was yesterday found guilty by a jury at Bradford Crown Court of carrying out an armed robbery at a shop and post office premises in Heckmondwike in October.

But it then emerged that he had already admitted robbing a 14-year-old boy at knifepoint seven months earlier.

Shopkeeper Hasan Hans suffered a cut hand as he fended off machete-wielding Bycroft during the robbery at his premises in Six Lane Ends, Heckmondwike.

Bycroft fled with £20 and a scratchcard display.

But Mr Hans had recognised Bycroft as one of his customers and picked him out on a video identity parade the next day.

After the jury found him guilty of offences of robbery and possessing an offensive weapon, prosecutor Christopher Batty revealed that Bycroft, of Stubley Road, Six Lane Ends, Heckmondwike, had also admitted the earlier robbery which had taken place on waste ground in Batley.

During that incident in March last year Bycroft had produced a knife which he held to the 14-year-old's cheek.

He got away with £60 in cash and a mobile phone.

It is understood that Bycroft had been remanded in custody in relation to that robbery.

But at some stage he was given bail and was subject to that bail when he committed the second offence.

Barrister Simon Batiste, for Bycroft, described him as a petty criminal who had a long-standing drug addiction.

But Mr Batiste conceded that there had been an escalation in his offending.

Recorder John Taylor said that the two robberies were very serious offences and that lengthy custodial sentences were inevitable.

He jailed Bycroft for six years for the attack on the shop premises and added a further two years behind bars for the earlier robbery of the teenager.

Mr Hans was unavailable for comment today.