A TEENAGER who had never before been in trouble carried out two robberies within the space of an hour “for no rhyme or reason”, a court heard yesterday.

Ross O’Brien has no memory of the street attacks, but handed himself in when friends showed him CCTV images on a social media site and said it looked like him.

O’Brien mugged one man and threatened to stab him, before he hunted down another victim, threw him to the ground, and rifled through his pockets.

Teesside Crown Court was told how the 19-year-old befriended each man as they made their way home from a nightclub in Middlesborough town centre in June.

Both of the victims were panic-stricken when he suddenly turned from a chatty stranger to violent attacker – although he seemed strangely calm each time.

The court heard how O’Brien befriended a 25-year-old and persuaded him to visit another nightclub with him, then put his hand over his mouth from behind and threw him to the ground when they reached a secluded spot.

He stole the victim’s cash cards, cigarettes, lighter, iPhone and £65; and made off with an e-cigarette and mobile phone from the second man, aged 22.

O’Brien was facing up to five years in jail, but a judge refused to sentence the teenager until he is seen by a psychiatrist who will prepare a report.

“This is a bizarre case,” said Judge Tony Briggs. “You would expect to see someone with a significant record when one looks at offences of this kind.

“A medical report is required. It is so unusual a case, and the background is so unusual, I’m under a duty to look at that before sentence is passed.”

Smartly-dressed O’Brien, of Broadgate Road, Middlesbrough, had admitted two charges of robbery from the early hours of June 14 at an earlier court hearing.

Prosecutor Emma Atkinson said: “Out of nowhere, seemingly without rhyme or reason, these offences were committed within close proximity to each other.”

Garry Wood, defending, told the judge: “It’s extremely bizarre. It’s a case I would ask Your Honour to treat as an exceptional one. He doesn’t remember any of this.

“He gave himself up straight away when a friend pointed out it looked like him on CCTV on social media. He has no recollection of the incidents at all.”

Adjourning the case until next month, Judge Briggs told O’Brien: “You are not to read into this any indication of what happens to you eventually. All sentencing will remain open. This matter is so unusual, I’m not in a position to pass sentence until all the proper areas are covered.”