Boys tell jurors how 'bogus policeman' made death threats

TWO teenagers were terrified when a 'bogus policeman' held one of them in a stranglehold and forced the other to draw money out of a cash machine, a court heard.

Benjamin Baker, 24, is alleged to have intimidated, controlled and terrorised the youths with death threats when he found them with cannabis in Lydney town centre late at night.

The prosecution allege he held the younger boy captive in an alleyway – and later at his home – and ordered the other to draw out all of their cash and then find another £1,000 to secure his friend's release.

Baker, of High Street, Lydney, denies two charges of robbery, one of kidnap and one of blackmail.

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The older boy told the court he met up with his friend at about midnight and they were outside the Co-op in Lydney when Baker approached and accused them of dealing drugs.

"I had enough cannabis on me for one spliff," said the 19-year-old. "He accused me of having more than that and he told us to turn out our pockets.

"He phoned up the police and spoke to them. I did what he said because I was under the impression he was associated with the police."

The youth said Baker emptied both boys' pockets, then took them to a cashpoint and made them draw out their money.

They returned to the alleyway where Baker held the younger lad around the neck "with his arm clenching it tightly", he alleged.

Baker then made the younger boy reveal his PIN and sent the older boy back to the cashpoint to draw out the rest of his available cash, he said.

"Then he told me to go and get £1,000 and two ounces of cannabis by 6am or he would kill my friend."

The teen said he then went to a friend's house to raise the alarm.

In evidence, the 17-year-old denied defence suggestions that he had recalled the incident wrongly because he was under the influence cannabis.

He denied that he already knew Baker before the incident and that he owed him £200.

The trial continues tomorrow.