Two teenagers who took a rounders bat with them to carry out a street robbery in Shrewsbury have escaped custody.

Kyle Powell, 17, of Sundorne Road, Shrewsbury, and Dominic Forbes, 18, of Moorhouse Close, Wellington, approached their young victim in the early hours of the morning after being driven around town and demanded that he hand over his mobile phone, mp3 player and his bag.

They appeared yesterday at Shrewsbury Crown Court, where they were each sentenced to do 250 hours’ unpaid work in the community.

The pair had admitted robbery at a previous hearing. Powell also received a youth rehabilitation order and will have to comply with a three-month night-time curfew.

Forbes was ordered to serve an 18-month supervision order and pay £150 compensation and £100 costs.

Mr Robert Edwards, prosecuting, said the pair were in a car that was being driven around Shrewsbury in the early hours of July 13 last year.

He said Forbes complained they had no money and when the car drove by two teenagers walking in Longden Road, Forbes suggested they rob them.

The court heard the car stopped in West Hermitage Way and Forbes and Powell got out, putting their hoods up.

Mr Edwards said seeing the defendants with what looked like a baseball bat but was in fact a rounders bat, the two teenagers crossed the road but were followed.

The court was told the one was ordered to empty his pockets and his phone, his mp3 player and a grey bag, worth a total of about £250, were stolen.

Both had no previous convictions.

Mr Brenden Reedy, for Powell, said his client was a troubled and vulnerable young man who should not have gone along with the suggestion but did so not to lose face.

Mr Dean Easthope, for Forbes, said the rounders bat had belonged to his client.

“It was in the car by chance. He took it out for bravado, to look like a big man and had no intention of using it,” he added.

Judge Robin Onions told the defendants that had the rounders bat been used in any way they would have been locked up.