A CRIMINAL who has committed more than 100 offences is back behind bars after being found guilty of robbing a store, threatening a security guard with a knife.

Geoffrey Webb and two other men had grabbed alcohol from the Food Warehouse at Iceland store at Breightmet at 3pm on March 10, but when brave security guard Mohamad Ummar tried to stop them they brushed past him.

Mr Ummar gave chase, determined to catch the thieves.

He reached Webb on a grass verge in the car park, but the thief turned round and Mr Ummar noticed he had a bottle in one hand and a knife in the other.

A jury at Bolton Crown Court was told how Webb threatened the security guard, saying: “I’ll shank you with this.”

The court was told that Mr Ummar was shocked and scared and, called back by colleagues, he let Webb go.

Webb was arrested at his mother’s home three days later after police recognised him on the store’s CCTV footage.

During a trial at Bolton Crown Court Webb denied robbery, claiming another man had been holding the knife.

But the jury did not believe him and 31-year-old Webb, of Bury Road, Bolton, was convicted.

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh was told that Webb also admitted aggravated vehicle taking, assault and theft committed the previous month on February 18.

Gordon Hennell, prosecuting, said Webb and four others had gone into a veterinary surgery on Bury Road in the afternoon and made a nuisance of themselves.

When they left receptionist Rebecca West noticed the keys to her Chevrolet Spark car were missing. She ran out of the building and managed to open the rear passenger door, but Webb, who was driving, sped off.

At 5pm the same day Webb and a woman stole £150 worth of vodka from Lidl, with Webb assaulting the store manager Emily Porter as she tried to stop him.

Judge Walsh was told that Webb has “enduring drug problems” and already had 45 convictions for 106 previous offences, including robbery and attempted robbery.

“It is a bleak picture and it is depressing,” said Jacob Dyer, defending.

Webb was sentenced to five years in prison.

Judge Walsh told him: “You’re 31 years of age and have an unenviable record.”

The robber was also banned from driving for 12 months after he is released from his prison sentence. In order to drive again he will have to pass an extended test.