A man who punched a cashier in a garage robbery has been jailed for three years.

Gareth Lloyd, 33, told the cashier at the Jet Garage on Lynn Road in King’s Lynn that he had a knife before stealing alcohol and cigarettes worth £232 on Saturday, September 19.

Mr Lloyd entered the petrol station at around 10.20pm and was aggressive towards the cashier, saying he was armed with a knife, Norfolk police said. He then forced his way behind the counter and punched the cashier before stealing the items.

The victim suffered a minor injury and reported the incident to police.

At around 4am on Sunday, September 20 a police officer stopped a man on Lynn Road fitting the suspect’s description, who was found in possession of the stolen items. He was arrested and later charged with the offence.

Mr Lloyd, of Willow Park in King’s Lynn, appeared at Norwich Crown Court on Monday, October 19 where he was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of robbery.

He was also found to be in breach of a suspended prison sentence.

Investigating officer detective constable Heather Chisholm said: “During this robbery, Lloyd made threats to the cashier who believed he was armed with a knife, although one was never seen.

“We’re grateful to the victim for providing such a detailed description of the suspect which ultimately led to his swift arrest six hours after the incident happened.”