A teenager who robbed two delivery drivers of pizza, a Chinese takeaway, and £200, at knifepoint, has been jailed for six years.

Ryan King, 19, formerly of Watford, was found guilty of two robberies which took place in Watford and Oxhey last year.

In both incidents, King ordered a takeaway to an address before threatening both drivers with a knife.

The first robbery took place on August 21 in The Willows, Oxhey. King had ordered three pizzas, two sides, and a drink to a house.

When the delivery man, in his 30s, arrived at around 11.30pm, King started shouting and swearing when he was asked to pay for the food.

He then took out a large knife which the driver tried to grab, fearing for his life. The victim sustained a cut on his thumb.

King then demanded cash and he was given £200. He also rummaged in the delivery driver’s car looking for things to steal but ran off when another car came down the street.

He also got away with his food order.

Just two days later, King ordered for some Chinese food to be delivered to an address in Deakin Close, off Tolpits Lane, Watford.

It was 7.50pm when the driver, again a man aged in his 30s, turned up to the cul-de-sac. As he turned his vehicle around, King appeared in front of his car.

He asked King to pay for the food which is when a knife was produced and pointed at the driver. King stole the food and ran off. The driver was not injured.

Two days later, King was arrested on suspicion of robbery.

He pleaded not guilty to two charges of robbery and appeared at St Albans Crown Court on March 4. On March 8, he was found guilty by the jury and sentenced to six years in prison.

Detective Constable Rob King, from the Three Rivers local crime unit, said: “King’s custodial sentence sends a strong message that knife crime will not be tolerated in Hertfordshire. He used the knives to instil fear into his victims, who were simply just doing their jobs.

“Thankfully neither of them were seriously injured during the incidents but were understandably shaken by their encounter with King. I hope the defendant uses his time in prison to reflect on his actions and consider the impact he had on the two victims.”