Robber aged 14 jailed for terror reign on Underground

A 14-year-old robber responsible for a nine-month campaign of violent muggings on the London Underground was yesterday jailed for seven years.

Jermaine Smith, now 15, of Kensal Green, north London, was often armed with a knife and threatened to inject one victim with the HIV virus. "He stalked the Bakerloo line robbing a total of 13 passengers and subjecting them to chilling threats of violence," the Old Bailey was told.

Smith, now 15, admitted robberies throughout 1994. The court was told he had been raised in children's homes and was addicted to crack cocaine. He was caught after two brothers he tried to rob grabbed his knife and left him badly injured.