A teenage student has admitted using a knife when he attempted to rob a man in Darlington town centre last month.

Joshua Winter was told it was ‘important’ to plead guilty after he was arrested following the attempted robbery on October 9.

The 18-year-old Darlington College student was told he must return to Teesside Crown Court on January 8 to be sentenced.

Judge Chris Smith praised the Barnard Castle teenager after he admitted his guilt in court and ordered a pre-sentence report be carried out.

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He said: “Pleading guilty was important as it will entitle you to a substantial discount in the sentence you will receive when the court decides what to do with you.

“It’s 25 per cent today but 25 per cent of what, I just don’t know.

“I need to know what was going on at the time and what was going on in your life when you got into this trouble.”

Winter, of Woodside, Barnard Castle, was released on conditional bail until his next court appearance when he will be sentenced for attempted robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.