A violent drug addict committed two knifepoint robberies within hours of each other, slashing a shopkeeper's face in one of the raids.

Described as a “Jekyll and Hyde”, Joseph Sharp lashed out with the weapon in a desperate bid to steal cash from the store in Strood.

Despite the 33-year-old having previous convictions for similar offences, a judge did not find he was dangerous enough to warrant an extended sentence. Instead, he jailed Sharp, of no fixed address, for seven years.

Maidstone Crown Court heard he first robbed Lanre Hameed as he sat in his car in Canal Road, Strood, on the afternoon of July 18 this year.

Sharp approached from Rochester Bridge and asked the victim the time. He then shook a knife from his sleeve and demanded Mr Hameed’s phone and wallet.

He tried to drive away but Sharp grabbed the steering wheel and the car hit a wall, inflating the airbags. Mr Hameed managed to get out and ran off towards the bridge.

But when he saw Sharp rummaging around in his car, he returned. Sharp held the knife towards him saying: “Come on then.”

“He was throwing punches at Mr Desai and slashing with the knife. He sustained a slash wound to his cheek" - prosecutor Martin Yale

Mr Hameed ran off to get help. He described the knife as “massive”.

Just over three hours later, armed again with a knife, Sharp walked into The General Store in Grove Road, owned by Sam and Ami Desai, wearing a hoodie and with his face covered.

He demanded that Mrs Desai open the till, but her husband moved in front of her and pressed the panic button.

“They bravely refused to open the till,” said prosecutor Martin Yale. “He was throwing punches at Mr Desai and slashing with the knife. He sustained a slash wound to his cheek.

“Their daughter came down to help. Mrs Desai grabbed a baseball bat kept next to the counter and swung it towards the defendant.

“From the CCTV, it appears Mr Desai was holding onto it as well. The defendant pulled it from their grasp. She felt an almighty blow to her face and fell backwards.

“The defendant knocked the till onto the floor and began smashing it with the baseball bat. A customer walked in and the defendant stopped struggling and walked away.”

A neighbour called the police after hearing “blood curdling screams”.

Police were directed to a house by a witness who saw Sharp remove his hoodie. When arrested, he had cuts to his hands and bruises to his arms.

Mr Yale said Sharp was jailed for 42 months in March 2013 for two identical robberies of stores in Gillingham.

Judge Charles Macdonald QC praised both Mr Hameed and Mr and Mrs Desai for their bravery.

He said of the couple: “Film from the shop shows their remarkable courage in which they tried to deal with your vicious and cowardly attack.”

He added: “There is a raft of aggravating features. I am quite sure there is a significant risk you will re-offend violently.

“You have failed to master your drug addiction. That has given rise to these offences. You were remorseful on the last two occasions and it didn’t do anyone any good.”