A man who threatened a convenience store shopkeeper with a knife before stealing bottles of gin has been jailed for four-and-a-half years, after the victim feared he would be “stabbed and killed”, the Oxford Mail reported, citing prosecutors.
Richard Farrell, 28, of The Oval, Didcot, was sentenced to 54 months' imprisonment at Oxford Crown Court on 31 July after pleading guilty to robbery and possession of a knife in a public place.
The court heard the robbery took place in broad daylight on 6 July at Diamond Convenience Store in Didcot.
According to the report, Farrell entered the store topless, using his T-shirt as a makeshift mask to cover his face. Shopkeeper Harsh Antil was behind the till when Farrell became aggressive and shouted at him, prompting the retailer to call 999.
Prosecutor Julian Lynch told the court that Farrell threatened Antil, shouting: “I will chop your throat and stab you”, before grabbing him.
The court heard that another man entered the shop during the incident and stole cans of alcohol as Antil told both men to leave.
Farrell then allegedly refused to leave, picked up cans of vodka and produced a kitchen knife from his pocket while demanding cash from the till.
Lynch said Farrell swung the knife towards the unarmed shopkeeper, who backed away, before Farrell took three bottles of gin, made further threats and fled the store.
“Mr Antil was in fear of his life, he thought he was going to be stabbed and killed,” Lynch told the court.
The case is the latest in a series of violent attacks on convenience retailers, with industry bodies continuing to call for stronger action to tackle retail crime and improve protection for shopworkers.