Two robbers "terrorised" a lone woman at knifepoint as she walked through a Carlisle park.

Teen thug Ben Addison and 20-year-old accomplice Kai Bowman were said to have "effectively destroyed" the life of their terrified 32-year-old victim, after pouncing in darkness at Melbourne Park.

Carlisle Crown Court heard the woman was left paranoid, suffering nightmares and seeing "perpetrators in every man", after the shocking crime on March 28.

It was one of many offences committed by 19-year-old Addison, who had robbed two city off-licence workers while brandishing a blade just nine days earlier.

He was handed nine-and-a-half years' detention yesterday (MON) , while Bowman, received eight years and eight months.

Brendan Burke, prosecuting, said the woman was robbed of belongings as she walked to work at around 9pm. Addison and Bowman were clad in dark clothing which concealed their faces.

Addison was "shouting and thrusting" his knife towards her, "indicating he wanted her bag", said Mr Burke.

"She was pleading with him to let her go. Mr Bowman then came up behind her and pulled back the hood of her jacket.

"He then drew his knife across the left side of her face. He was pressing the blade into the flesh of her face and neck. No skin was broken. No blood was drawn. But it did leave marks."

The pair fled but were arrested the next day after being seen hiding the bag under a car.

Their victim, meanwhile, stayed the night at a friend's house. "Throughout the night she kept waking up screaming and crying, punching out at imaginary attackers and shouting 'don't touch me'," said Mr Burke.

Bowman desperately contacted a relative, asking her give him a false alibi. But she told police of his criminal act.

Addison, too, was shopped by a family member, after police released CCTV footage of a knifepoint robbery at the Furze Street Bargain Booze. In disguise, on March 19, he brandished his blade at female and male employees, before fleeing with £250.

Addison's mother was contacted by his ex-partner, Rachel Little, who recognised him as the man responsible.

"She (Miss Little) in fact also remembered that he had talked about robbing the store previously, saying that it would be easy," said Mr Burke.

Addison had previously assaulted two women, the court heard. One was Miss Little - the mother of their young child - whom he grabbed while she had their baby on her knee.

Over Facebook he had also vowed to "burn" her and "slice you up", and intimidated his other assault victim.

Mark Shepherd, defending Addison, of Melbourne Road, Carlisle, said the teen descended into "crime and chaos" following a his grandfather's death, family problems and Valium use. He was taking steps to address his behaviour.

Clare Thomas, for homeless and more heavily-convicted Bowman, said he had no previous offences for violence. He was a "young man, on his own, with no family support".

The judge, Mr Recorder McDonald, said the two men had "terrorised" their park victim.

"It is a disgusting and despicable act of cowardice," the judge said. "You ought to be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves."