A TEENAGER who made hoax telephone calls to emergency services has been locked up for 18 months.

Gordon Appleby, 18, of Sorrel Road, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, admitted sending false messages, two charges of falsely raising fire alerts, one of staging a bomb hoax and one of robbery.

Fiona Horlick, prosecuting at Oxford Crown Court Monday, October 7, said two fire engines were sent to tackle a non-existent fire Appleby reported by phone on May 27.

On May 31, he rang police saying he would burn down a children's home in Oxford.

Police traced him and warned him to stop, but on June 1, he reported that a car had crashed into a living room in Stowood Close, Headington.

On June 4, he called police and said he had left a bomb in the Somerfield supermarket car park, in Headington.

Appleby was arrested with Emma Robins, 18, of Stowood Close, Headington, and while on bail, the pair robbed one of Robins's school friends as she walked home.

Mrs Horlick said Robins accused their victim of getting her arrested and Appleby held a screwdriver near her throat.

They robbed her of a bag, containing personal possessions and a mobile phone. Tony McGeorge, defending Robins, said she had a bad start in life, suffered from depression and had tried to take her own life.

John Simmons, defending Appleby, said he had been badly influenced by Robins.

Judge Julian Hall sentenced Robins to 18 months in a young offenders' institution and Appleby to a 18-month detention training order.