Brave worker grabbed at gun
drink from a fridge and added: "The defendant came to the counter with the energy drink and a white plastic bag in his hand.
"He asked the worker if he could also have a scratchcard, anumber16andwhenhewent to get the scratchcard the defendant produced a gun and demandedmoneyfromthetill.
"Initially, the shop worker states he thought the gun was a toy. He tried to grab the gun and there was a tussle. The defendant got away and pointed theitemathimagain.Thistime heduckedunderthecounterin case it was fired."
The court heard when Allison left he store, the brave shop worker watched the direction he walked to and told the police.
In a statement, the worker said: "Initially I was not too frightened of the male, he seemed nervous, which gave metheconfidencetograbathis hand and the gun but when he struggled and pointed it at me again I felt really frightened, that is the reason I hid behind the counter."
He added: "When the man pointed the gun at me I felt like it might be the last day of my life. He seemed nervous, I kept thinking he was so nervous he might have killed me."
Allison,ofJohnsonTerrace, Sulgrave, Washington, admitted attempted robbery and possession of an imitation fire arm at the time of committing an offence and has been jailed fortwoyearsandfourmonths.
Judge Tim Gittins said the shopkeeper was "brave" despitehis"fearanddistress"and added:"Hehadnowayofknowingthatitwasn'tarealweapon, even if you knew it was an imitation, a fake.”
ThecourtheardAllisonhad lost his job before the raid and had fallen into debt with his rent payments.