Two callous teenagers muggers have been caged for a series of knifepoint robberies in the Speedwell and Fishponds areas of Bristol in November last year.
Nathaniel Moffett, 16 and Thaberi Francis, 18, carried out a number of the robberies against victims and in one shocking case targeted a heavily pregnant woman.
Moffett was sentenced to five years in costody and Francis to six years. Judge Darwall-Smith lifted anonymity normally given to defendants under 18 to allow Moffatt to be identified.
The pair admited charges included: four knifepoint robberies, a count of robbery, three attempted knifepoint robberies and three charges over possession of an offensive weapon.
At Bristol Crown Court Judge Simon Darwall-Smith ordered the the boys' right to anonymity as juveniles should be lifted.
The judge was given a letter from a five-year-old daughter who witnessed the attack on her pregnant mother at a supermarket in Fishponds.
She wrote: "Dear Judge, I was terrified wot happened at Morrisons. The boy punched my mum and hit the baby in her tummy. The other boy made sure nobody was looking. Now I don't like going shopping. I hope they don't hurt any more people. Thank you."
Det Con Paul Hopes from the Bristol Robbery team investigated the crimes. He said: "This series of robberies were committed by two young individuals who thought nothing of using a knife to threaten people in order to steal their property.
"Some of the offences involved physical violence which included punching a pregnant lady to the stomach in order to steal her purse in front of her five year old daughter.
"It is this girl who has actually written her own letter to the Judge to say how she feels about what happened.
"It is only by chance I feel that nobody has been seriously hurt."
DC Hopes added: "A street robbery is a traumatic, highly impactive crime for most victims. In this case this was made even worse by the use of weapons, in particular knives.
"Some victims, such as elderly people never recover from the mental anguish or physical injury caused by these crimes.
"I can only hope that the sentence passed today brings some comfort to their victims.
"The Fishponds and Speedwell areas of the City are now a safer place now that Nathaniel Moffett and Thaberi Francis are behind bars.
"Finally I would like to add that I hope that this case acts as a deterrent to anyone already embarking on or considering embarking on offences of this type.
"I can assure you; you will be caught and brought to Justice."
Officers are also appealling to anyone who may have been a victim of similar crimes in the Fishponds and Speedwell area to contact them on the police non-emergency number 101.
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