A HOMELESS drug addict who robbed teenagers in Watford town centre to feed his habit has been jailed for three and a half years.

Greg Houslin, 21, admitted to his barrister that when he took drugs he was "a mean and nasty person".

He pleaded guilty at Luton Crown Court to one charge of robbery and one of theft and asked for four offences to be taken into consideration. They involved robberies and attempts to rob 15 and 16-year-olds.

Justin Rouse, prosecuting on Thursday (September 26) said on February 22 this year, Houslin approached a 16-year-old near the Moon Under Water pub.

At first he asked if he could buy a camera that the victim's friend had, then asked if he had any money. The boy said he didn't so Houslin started to search him and found £2.

Mr Rouse said: "He became angry and asked why he had lied, threatening to smash a beer bottle over his head.

"He also found a cash point card, and said he had a a knife and would stab him if he didn't go to the bank with him."

They went to one bank and withdrew £20 from the cashpoint but the machine kept the card, which annoyed Houslin.

At another bank they obtained £8 over the counter, Houslin then demanded the victim's mobile phone and threatened to stab him.

On March 27 another young man was in Watford waiting for his girlfriend. Houslin engaged him in conversation, then asked to borrow his mobile phone. The victim refused but Houslin grabbed it and ran away.

The court heard he had served a custodial sentence in 2000 for a similar robbery.

September 30, 2002 12:30