A THUG used a knife to steal a motorcycle which had only been bought by the victim’s mother 24 hours earlier.

Lewis Wilkinson pulled a knife and held it to the owner's neck after encountering him in the street, before grabbing the bike and making off with it.

The 21-year-old, described at Teesside Crown Court as “bored and rudderless”, had been drinking and smoking cannabis before the incident in Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough.

Prosecutor Peter Sabiston said the victim, who knew Wilkinson, thought he was going to be stabbed and reported the theft to police.

The bike was later recovered with Wilkinson, of Berwick Hills Avenue, telling officers he mistakenly thought it belonged to a friend of his and had been stolen.

He denied a more serious charge of blackmail, but admitted possessing a bladed article and affray in January this year.

Wilkinson had a previous conviction from December 2012 for possessing a machete. He also had convictions for assault on his record after kicking two police constables in the head and legs.

Jonny Walker, mitigating, said Wilkinson wished to apologise the victim. He said: “The defendant accepts it was unprovoked and understands how unpleasant and menacing this incident must have been.”

Judge Guy Whitburn gave Wilkinson a 12 month jail sentence, suspended for two years. He had already spent five months on remand in custody – the equivalent of a ten month sentence.

The judge said Wilkinson would be supervised for the next two years, adding: “I hope you gain some employment and pull yourself together because as an intelligent young man who are totally wasting your life at present.”