A MAN who drove dangerously through Cardiff days after trying to rob a teenager in Newport while threatening him with a syringe needle, has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Daniel Green, aged 24, committed the offences in August, while on bail for two other crimes – common assault and aggravated vehicle taking, dating from May and July respectively.

Prosecuting counsel Nick Gedge told Newport Crown Court today that Green had tried to rob a 16-year-old employee of the city’s High Street branch of McDonald’s on August 27 this year.

The incident happened when the teenager had withdrawn money from a cashpoint in nearby Bridge Street, after finishing his shift at the restaurant.

Green approached him, asked for money and was given £1, but then told the teenager he needed £5-10 to get to Pontypool.

After following the teenager and making repeated requests, Green told him: “I really need the money and I’ll stab you with this needle. I don’t care if I go back to prison.”

The teenager refused again, said Mr Gedge, and Green, of Bellevue, Pontnewynydd, Pontypool, then said: “Give me £20 or I’ll stab you and take it all.”

“He then took the needle and threatened to stab him. He was agitated and shaking,” said Mr Gedge.

The teenager felt a prick to a finger and Green then moved the needle to the teenager’s ribcage but did not make contact, the court heard.

Frightened, he managed to get back into McDonald’s, chased by Green, who then ran off.

The court heard the teenager subsequently went to hospital for a check-up.

In the small hours of August 31, police in a patrol car began to pursue Green – who was driving a Citroen Berlingo that had earlier failed to stop – from the Leckwith area of Cardiff, towards the Culverhouse Cross roundabout.

Green repeatedly drove through red lights, reaching 70mph in 30mph zones, before crashing on the roundabout as the police drew alongside.

He sped off again however, narrowly missing a police officer who was about to open his car door to arrest him.

On the A4232, travelling towards junction 33 of the M4, a wheel came off the Citroen and the car sprayed sparks across the road for several minutes until police managed to stop it as it turned onto the motorway.

The court was also told that Green was found guilty of common assault at Newport Magistrates’ Court last month.

This offence stemmed from an incident on May 30 when he kicked a woman twice in the stomach during an argument.

He had also, on July 26, been a passenger in a car taken unlawfully by his friend, in Pontypool, which was later found damaged.

Judge Daniel Williams was told that Green had 33 convictions for more than 60 offences prior to these, including a three-year prison sentence for assault with intent to commit robbery in 2014.

At the time of the latter offence, he had recently been released from a 15-month term in a young offenders institute, after committing a burglary.

Defence counsel Ieuan Bennett told the judge that Green accepted he faced a custodial sentence.

“The scourge of drink and drugs has affected him very badly, especially drugs,” said Mr Bennett. “When he is sober, he is sane and sensible.”

Judge Williams sentenced Green to three years and four months in prison for the attempted robbery – which he said had left the victim “understandably terrified” – and to a consecutive term of eight months for dangerous driving at “grossly excessive speeds”.

He will serve half his four-year sentence in prison and half on licence.

Green was sentenced to four months for common assault and two months each for failing to provide a sample for drug testing, and aggravated vehicle taking, terms to run concurrently.

He was also disqualified from driving for three years, with a two-year extension to reflect his time in prison.

Green previously pleaded guilty to all offences apart from the common assault.