Sam Pearce robbery trial at Oxford Crown Court

That was the first of a string of allegations put to Sam Pearce yesterday, with others involving knifepoint robberies - one of a schoolboy aged just 14 years old, who he threatened to stab.

Opening the 29-year-old’s trial at Oxford Crown Court, prosecutor Adrian Fleming said: “No one was injured but all of the victims were left severely shaken up by his menacing and worrying behaviour.”

Pearce, of Market Street in Chipping Norton, is accused of three counts of robbery, one of attempted robbery, and two counts of possession of a knife in a public place.

He denies robbery and possession of a knife but, of all but one allegation, admits lesser charges of theft and attempted theft.

All of the incidents happened between December 2018 and January 2019, the first of which was the alleged robbery of Kim Fuellenbach.

Mr Fleming told the jury that Miss Fuellenbach left her house in Oxford at about 10am on December 22, to go for a run as she trained for a half marathon.

She said she saw two women being shouted at by Pearce on the towpath, and he was blocking their path with a bike.

Taking to the witness box yesterday, she told the jury: “He was right in front of the women, shouting at them.

“He said ‘are you accusing me of having my d*** out? The button on my trousers is broken.’

“He grabbed one of them by the hair, pulled her around and asked the other woman for spare change.”

She ran to nearby Frenchay Road and called 999, and asked a passerby if she would walk with her for safety.

A recording of the call was played to the jury, in which a breathless Miss Fuellenbach can be heard giving her location before screaming.

The line then goes quiet except for muffled noises.

Miss Fuellenbach said she screamed because Pearce, who had followed her, had hit her on the head and stolen the iPhone 5s she was using.

She recalled him shouting at her shortly beforehand, asking if she had called the police and if she was ‘going to get him stabbed.’

After he fled on the bicycle, having pocketed the phone, she said she ‘collapsed’ on the ground as her knees were shaking so much.

Police tracked the phone using the Find My iPhone app to a bus in Kidlington, and arrested Pearce, who was on board.

The mobile was found hidden on the bus.

Pearce also stood yesterday accused of robbing a 14-year-old boy in North Oxford, as he walked home from school with a friend on January 17.

The boy, who was wheeling his B'Twin bike alongside him, said he saw Pearce walking along with two cigarettes in his mouth and a can of drink in his hand.

Mr Fleming said: “He cut in front and said ‘nice bike, give it to me or I’ll stab you.’

“[The victim] saw him with a hand in the left side of his pocket, and saw some kind of pointed object.

“Mr Pearce said ‘give me the f***ing bike or I’ll stab you now.”

The boys retreated and allowed him to steal the bike.

Just 20 minutes later, Pearce approached a man outside Oxford’s Westgate Centre as he lit a cigarette, and demanded he handed it over.

Mr Fleming said: “He attempted to snatch the cigarette out of his mouth, astride a bicycle.”

When his victim refused and tucked the cigarette behind his ear, Pearce allegedly said: “Yes you will, I’ve got a blade. I will do you.”

Mr Fleming said he then reached into his pocket, although the man did not actually see a knife or blade.

Pearce is also accused of robbing another man in Chipping Norton, on January 16.

Mr Fleming said he ‘grabbed’ the man as he walked in Churchill Road at about 10pm, and said: “You’re trespassing on my road.

“I’ve got a knife - I’ve been watching you.”

The victim reported seeing him produce a clear plastic bag with a kitchen knife inside.

As he pulled away, his cap fell off and Pearce allegedly picked it up and stole it.

When police tracked him down to his mother’s house, where they found the cap, Mr Fleming said he jumped out of a window in an attempt to evade them.

Pearce denied ever stealing the cap, neither by theft nor robbery.

The trial continues.