A MAN who threatened off licence staff with a hammer has been jailed for three years.

Clayton Kevin Blinston, 31, of Morgan Street, St Helens pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.

He was today (Monday, 25 July 20156) sentenced to three years imprisonment at Liverpool Crown Court.

Blinston entered the Booze Buster branch on Higher Parr Street, St Helens at about 1.05pm on Monday 1 February this year.

He removed a hammer from his pocket before demanding the cashier hand over cash. He then left without taking anything.

Detective Constable Lisa Milligan said: "This was a brazen and vicious robbery in which Blinston made repeated threats towards the shop assistant while brandishing a hammer.

"The victim showed great courage and did exactly the right thing by calling police straight away and Blinston fled the scene on foot without taking anything. However following police investigations and media coverage, he was identified and later arrested and charged.

"Blinston is now behind bars for a considerable length of time and can no longer steal from a local business.

"The significant sentence handed down should send a clear warning to other criminals who think it is acceptable to target local shops in Merseyside and wrongly believe they will get away with it. They won't."