A ROBBER who was drunk and armed with a meat cleaver threatened to cut off the head of a betting shop employee if he did not hand over cash.

Alex Ferguson threatened the cashier when he was on his way back to the betting shop, carrying £200 in change from a post office.

Ferguson, who fled with cash bags containing £65, was yesterday jailed for seven years after a court heard it was not his first robbery conviction.

The 27-year-old, of Sunnyside Avenue, Shildon, County Durham, admitted a charge of robbery at a previous hearing when the case was listed for trial, having previously denied the allegation.

Durham Crown Court was told that the male cashier was returning to Ladbrokes, in Church Street, Shildon, when he was approached by Ferguson, carrying a six or eightinch bladed meat cleaver, at 3pm on August 21, last year.

David Crook, prosecuting, told the court: “He made demands to hand over money, telling the man he would cut his head off.”

Mr Crook said police checked town centre CCTV and saw Ferguson in the area at the time of the robbery.

He was seen walking past Ladbrokes, following the cashier as he left to go to the post office.

When arrested, Ferguson denied responsibility, but people at a house where he was living told police he had come in that afternoon carrying a large amount of change.

The court was told that Ferguson’s previous convictions included a handbag snatch from a woman and a knifepoint street robbery.

Mark Styles, for Ferguson, said he was a heroin addict with a drink problem.

But Mr Styles said it was coincidence that Ferguson was passing the shop at the time the cashier left to go for change and said he was armed with the cleaver for protection and not to carry out a robbery.

Jailing Ferguson, Judge Christopher Prince told him: “This must have been a very frightening experience for that cashier. Serious aggravating features were that your inhibitions were lowered through drink, and your previous convictions.”