A PAIR of robbers who threatened an elderly shopkeeper with a meat cleaver have each been jailed for three years.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Scott Parish and Brett Connor targeted the A&Z News shop on Wigan Road, Westhoughton, on October 5.

Parish, aged 23 and Connor, aged 22, both of The Pewfist, Westhoughton, walked into the shop at 9.50am, but left again when they saw 71-year-old shop assistant James Holden serving a customer.

Lindsay Thomas, prosecuting, told how, a short time later, Connor stood outside keeping watch whilst Parish walked back into the shop.

“He had a hood over his head and he used one hand to drag the hood across his mouth to cover his face. In the other hand he held a meat cleaver,” said Mrs Thomas.

Parish then waved the nine inch long cleaver in the air and headed towards Mr Holden, repeatedly shouting, “Open the till now!’

Terrified Mr Holden did as he was told and Parish grabbed £200 before running out of the store.

The robber and his accomplice, Connor split the cash between them when they reached Wingates Industrial Estate.

Their faces had been captured on the store’s CCTV and they were subsequently arrested.

Both men pleaded guilty to robbery.

In a statement read out in court Mr Holden said he had been fearful when he saw the cleaver.

“I was terrified by the whole incident,” he said.

“I thought he was going to hit me with it.”

Nicholas Ross, defending Parish, said he was “profoundly sorry and feels extremely ashamed about his behaviour.’

Kate Harney, defending Connor, added that the robbery was out of character for him and had been carried out whilst under the influence of drink and drugs.

Jailing the two men, Recorder Bernadette Baxter told them, “You must know this is an extremely serious offence.”