A teenager who robbed two shops in Corsham at knifepoint has been remanded in custody by a judge.

Joseph Kingsley was armed with a large kitchen knife when he threatened staff at the stores early last year.

The 19-year-old went into Oakleys, on Pickwick Road, at about 9pm on Monday, March 19 and threatened two teenager shop workers with the 10-inch blade.

Then just 72 hours later he struck again at Costcutters, in Kings Avenue, minutes before the convenience store was due to close.

He had been seen on CCTV pulling a black beanie or balaclava style hat down over his face before entering the store at 8.50pm on Thursday March 22.

A week later he carried out a third knife point robbery targeting the Esso service station on Kingshill Road in Swindon.

Kingsley had been due to stand trial at Swindon Crown Court facing six counts of robbery, six of having a bladed article and one of attempted robbery.

But before a jury could be sworn in he admitted three of the armed raids and prosecutors said they would not be seeking a trial over the four other incidents.

Kingsley and an accomplice had a large knife when he held up the petrol station shortly before 8.30pm on Friday March 30.

After using the blade to threaten the cashier at the garage, which was closed because of panic buying, the pair fled along the canal towpath at the rear of the premises.

Kingsley, formerly of Lower Allington, Chippenham, pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery and three of possessing a bladed article.

The teenager pleaded not guilty to a further three of each charge and an attempted robbery and those charges were left to lie on the file.

He had been accused of taking part in a robbery at the Esso in Royal Wootton Bassett the day after the Kingshill Road raid.

A week later he was accused of robbing the Best One Express on Clifton Street, Swindon, then again on Monday April 9 at McColls in Chippenham.

The final count, an attempted robbery the Hythe Road Store, in Old Town, the would-be raider was chased off by the shopkeeper.

At an earlier hearing he had admitted a burglary at a farm in The Locks, Devizes, where lead and copper piping worth about £2,000 was taken in September last year.

Judge Douglas Field remanded the defendant in custody to Friday, February 1 when he is due to face sentence.