A MAN who abandoned an armed robbery attempt after being chased from a shop, was then confronted by a householder as he fled, a court heard.

Christopher Graham waited outside the Premier store, in Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, until there were no customers in the premises, at about 2.25pm on August 22.

He then entered and brandished a knife over the counter, shouting: “Give us the money.”

But he turned tail after the assistant chased him from the premises, sparking a search of the area.

He was next spotted in the rear yard of a house in nearby High Barnes, where he was confronted by the householder who he threatened with the knife before escaping by climbing a fence into a neighbouring property.

Graham was later arrested and picked out from an identity parade by the resident who confronted him.

Appearing at Durham Crown Court, via video link from the city’s nearby prison, today (Tuesday, September 8), 20-year-old Graham admitted attempted robbery, possessing a knife in public and threatening a person with a bladed article.

Sentence was adjourned after defence counsel David Lamb asked for preparation of a background probation report on his client.

Judge Edward Bindloss agreed and remanded Graham back to custody until the sentencing hearing, on October 12.