A 19-year-old who robbed a man trying to score a drugs deal has been locked up for four years.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Kieron Sands, of Sandhurst Road, Tunbridge Wells, was one of two men who robbed Ricky Wenham of £240 cash on July 25.

Mr Wenham had arranged through a friend to meet Sands so he could buy cannabis. The pair met up and went to a flat with a third man. However, things turned nasty when there was no reply.

"Sands suddnly became physical," said prosecutor Ann Phillips. "He lunged at Mr Wenham, punching him to his jaw."

Mr Wenham fled to an outside car park where the attack continued. Sands demanded Mr Wenham's money. The third man then kicked him in the face before Mr Wenham handed over the cash.

Sands was arrested but claimed to be at a party at the relevant time. The court heard he was released on bail, only to commit another street robbery a month later on August 25.

On this occasion he took £4 from an 18-year-old sitting outside a pizza takeway in the town. Miss Phillips said he also punched the teenager in the face, and threatened to stab him if he went to the police.

Richard Atkinson, defending, said neither of the robberies was pre-planned.

Sands admitted two charges of robbery. A third, alleged to have been committed on July 15, was left on file.

He was sentenced to two years in a young offenders' institution for each offence and to run consecutively. The court heard Sands has already served 102 days on remand.

After sentencing, one of Sands's relatives in the public gallery was heard to remark: "Four years? You don't get that if you kill someone."