Two men were involved in an armed robbery on a Norwich convenience store in which a terrified female worker had an imitation firearm pointed at her stomach, and was forced to hand over more than £900 in cash, a court heard.
Sam Walker, 21, and Dean Thake, 22, who acted as a driver, also attempted to rob two other small shops, just over a week later, in a bid to get more cash, but fled empty handed after shopworkers bravely fought back, Norwich Crown Court heard.
William Carter, prosecuting, said the first robbery was at PJ's Convenience Store, on Linacre Avenue, Sprowston, on August 27, last year, when Walker, wearing a balaclava, went into the store and pointed an imitation Colt 45 gun at the stomach of the shop assistant.
Mr Carter said the worker handed over more than £900 along with some loose notes from the till, before Walker fled the scene.
In an impact statement she said she was 'really shaken up' and said she had no idea whether the gun was real or not.
More than a week later, on September 7, Thake drove Walker to carry out an attempted robbery on the Spar shop on The Street, Blofield.
Mr Carter said a female staff member was threatened with an imitation gun, but she managed to bang on an office door, so the owner could raise the alarm which caused Walker to flee the scene.
Later that same evening, they tried to rob Woodside Food and Wine store on Salhouse Road, Thorpe St Andrew, but the male assistant fought back and threw a monitor from behind the till at Walker, which again caused him to leave empty handed.
Police arrested both men after checking security film and tracing the car of Thake, after a witness noted his registration number.
Walker of Macmillan Way, Norwich, and Thake, of Rosebery Road, Norwich, both admitted robbery, two attempted robberies and three counts of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to commit robbery.
Walker was given four years 10 months and Thake was jailed for five and half years.
Jailing them, Judge Stephen Holt said they had targeted small convenience stores: 'These were small shops and these offences happened in the evening when the victims were working alone serving the public.'
He said that both men, who were of previous good character, would get credit for their guilty pleas.
Rashvinderjeet Panesar, for Walker, said he was immature and easily led and had carried out the offences as he was in debt over drugs and was getting threats.
He said he was the main carer for his mother and had been suffering with depression.
Jonathan Goodman, for Thake, said that he had used his own car, which meant he was bound to be traced.
'This was an ill-thought through escapade.'
He said they had shown a 'high degree of ineptitude' and added: 'It was doomed to failure.'
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