A FORMER police woman and two other passers-by chased a teenage girl after a woman was threatened with a knife in Devizes on Saturday afternoon close to the canal.

When police arrived at the scene near The Wharf the 16-year-old girl had already been detained by the former Wiltshire police officer and two others members of the public.

A police spokesman said: “The arrest followed an incident around 3.45pm on Saturday in the Wharf Street and New Park Street area of Devizes.

“Soon afterwards a teenager was detained before officers arrived in nearby Couch Lane by three members of the public including a former Wiltshire police officer.

“The 16-year-old was charged with robbery and threatening a person with a knife in Devizes in broad daylight.”

The people who stopped the girl were praised for their actions on social media.

On Monday, a girl who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared before Swindon magistrates on three charges including robbing a woman of her mobile phone at knifepoint at Wharf Street, Devizes on Saturday.

She was also accused of robbing a different woman of her pencil case on the Kennet & Avon Canal tow path in Devizes four days earlier.

The third charge alleged that she threatened a person with an offensive weapon in a public place.

“The charge said she was carrying a knife and acted in such a way that victim feared she would suffer immediate physical harm.”

The teenager appeared in court wearing tracksuit bottoms and green top, the girl entered no pleas to the charges and spoke only to confirm her name, age and address.

She smiled to her parents as Alison Auvray, chairman of the bench, remanded her into youth detention until Thursday, July 25, when she is due to appear before Salisbury Youth Court.