A MAN who threatened a shop worker with a gun and demanded cash from the till has been jailed.

Luke Hamill, from Wingate, in County Durham, made off with about £660 in cash, a bottle of vodka, wine and cigarettes from the robbery at the village's McColl's.

Police caught up with him a short while later, after the 31-year-old was recognised by staff working at the shop in Front Street.

Jenny Haigh, prosecuting, said Hamill had gone to the shop at just after 7.05am on Friday, May 17.

After asking for a bottle of wine and pointing out a bottle of vodka he wanted, he pulled out a gun, demanding "and the money".

The Northern Echo:

McColl's, in Wingate, where the robbery took place

The woman working behind the counter told him she could not access the till but she was able to get cash from the Post Office, which is also in the shop.

She told police she had been shocked by the incident because Hamill had previously asked after her when he was in the shop and "wasn't a bad lad".

Ms Haigh said: "She was absolutely terrified. She didn't know if it was real or if she would be shot.

"She feels like she has been violated. She said 'I thought he was a nice person but obviously he's not.' She feels like she can't trust customers."

Police went to Hamill's house shortly after and recovered the empty wine bottle, vodka, half the cigarettes and £535 in cash.

He immediately admitted the robbery to police and told them he did not have a problem with money, alcohol or drugs but he was depressed and described it as a "pre-meditated cry for help."

He had found the gun, which was a broken air pistol, some time before, he said.

The court heard Hamill, of Laing Square, wrote a letter to apologise to staff at the shop.

Judge Christopher Prince, who said Hamill had shown "genuine remorse", added: "This behaviour is wholly out of character. It was at a very low point in your life. When you suggested to police you didn't have a problem with drink, you were wrong.

"You were having a problem with alcohol. Looking at what you did, you went into a local shop where people knew you.

"I'm willing to accept you found this broken air pistol.

"You were intoxicated when you went into the shop. It isn't mitigation but it goes a long way to explaining why you acted this way."

Hamill was given a 32 month prison sentence.