A DRUG addict has been jailed for three years and four months after pleading guilty to a robbery at a Bargain Booze off-licence, where he threatened staff with a hammer.

Terry Hathaway, from Middlemass Hey in Stockbridge Village, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of a Class A drug.

Police were called to the shop on Lugsmore Lane, Thatto Heath just before 10pm on Friday, January 13, following reports that a masked man entered the shop and threatened a shop assistant and her 15-year-old daughter, who was on work experience.

He was detained a short time later by members of the community and arrested by police.

The court heard how he shouted at the victims and took around £50 and tried to flee.

However, when challenged by another customer, he pulled from a holdall the previously concealed hammer.

Simon Duncan, prosecuting, said Hathaway raised the hammer up but dropped it when two other men grabbed him and Mr Howard tried to take his bag.

Hathaway broke free but was chased and caught by witnesses, who held him until police arrived.

The shop assistant said she had been very concerned for the safety of her daughter and has suffered a loss of confidence following the incident.

Hathaway was later searched at St Helens Custody Suite where officers found two bags of heroin.

The addict made no comment in police interviews but admitted robbery, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of heroin at court.

He has previous convictions dating back to 1999, which include car thefts, burglaries, multiple shop thefts and possessing a blade.

Michael O’Brien, defending, said: “The defendant offers no excuses for his behaviour, sadly committed out of desperation linked to his use of Class A drugs.

“He accrued a debt and felt desperate to repay the debt and of course committed this terrible offence.”

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said Hathaway had “clearly been affected by a significant drug habit”.

He said: “To date what you have been doing is to thieve to try and fund that habit. You have now crossed a very significant boundary.

“What you did was planned, you came in disguise, you had a mask, gloves and a holdall and of course you had available to you, if needed, that hammer.

“Although you didn’t need to brandish that to threaten the shopkeeper in order to get the cash, you did very readily take that out and brandish it to make good your escape.”

Jailing Hathaway for three years and four months, he said: “Both of them became quite hysterical when the enormity of what had just happened became apparent. This has a real impact on people.”