A robber who claimed he was carrying a knife and stun gun when he demanded money from a north Essex shop manager has been jailed for nearly three years.

Ben Cresswell’s robbery of the Chelmsford Star Co-operative store in Church Street, Bocking, near Braintree, has been described as a “terrifying” crime that had a lasting impact on the victim

Cresswell, 38, and from Queen’s Road Braintree entered the store just before 8.10am on Saturday, August 19, and demanded the shop manager give him cash from the till.

He claimed he had a knife and a stun gun in a black bag he was carrying, though he didn’t produce any weapons.

The victim activated the panic alarm and handed over about £80.

Cresswell left but was arrested a short time later with a Stanley knife and a locking knife in his possession.

He appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to robbery and two counts of possession of a bladed article.

He was jailed today for two years and nine months for robbery and nine months for each of the other charges, to run concurrently.

Detective Sergeant Mick Carrington, of Braintree CID, said: “Cresswell initially told officers he had not gone to the store that morning, but the evidence proved otherwise.

“The robbery was a terrifying incident that has had a continuing impact on the member of staff who was working at the shop at the time.”