THREE teenage robbers have been sentenced to a total of almost five years in prison after pleading guilty to a violent robbery in Bury.

Seventeen-year-old Jason Boswell, from Prescott Close, and 15-year-olds Paul Hardman, of Topping Fold Lane, and Aron Cooper, of Renshaw Drive, all Bury, were sentenced on Thursday at Bury Magistrates court.

They were each given ten months detention for this offence.

The three teenagers robbed an 18-year-old man from Radcliffe at Bury Interchange on Wednesday, April 14, this year.

They demanded money before assaulting him by punching and kicking him to the ground.

The robbers stole his moped and it was later recovered by police after being sold in Heywood.

In addition, Cooper was charged with a second robbery, adding an extra 10 months to his sentence.

Boswell was given an additional 10 months for two burglaries and aggravated taking of property without owners.

Eight months extra was also handed down to Paul Hardman after he pleaded guilty to intimidating a witness after the robbery.

He was also sentenced to four months for a public order offence to be served concurrently.

Boswell and Hardman were also made the subject of four year anti social behaviour orders.

DC Matthew Hamer from Bury CID said: "These young men carried out an unprovoked and extremely violent robbery.

"Greater Manchester Police currently run Operation Hawk which aims to combat street crime and today's sentences illustrate our determination to catch offenders and bring them to justice."