A drug addict who bungled a late night raid on a convenience store was told by a judge he was not cut out for a criminal career as a robber.

Dominic Stockdale fled empty-handed and admitted after being arrested: “I didn’t really know what I was doing.”

Judge Martin Huseyin told the 47-year-old novice when jailing him for two years and nine months: “You were poorly disguised. You are not going to have a career as a robber. It was pretty useless.”

Maidstone Crown Court heard Stockdale went into the One Stop store in Beatty Road, Rochester, just after 11pm on August 22 this year and asked supervisor Thomas Haynes if he would change 1p and 2p coins into a £10 note.

He put the coins on the counter and then pulled out a kitchen knife about 8in long.

Prosecutor Simon Taylor said when Mr Haynes saw the weapon he closed the till and pressed a panic button.

Holding out the knife, Stockdale, of Ordnance Terrace, Chatham, wore a hat but did not cover his face as he told him to open the till and give him all the money.

“Mr Haynes tried to stall him, telling him he would lose his job,” said Mr Taylor. “He then told him the police had been called and if he left now he would get away.

“He did leave. Nothing was taken. When police stopped him 15 minutes later he discarded the knife. He threw his hat over a low wall.”

Mr Taylor said Stockdale, a Class A drug user for 25 years, had previous convictions for dishonesty, but none for violence.

John Fitzgerald, defending, told the court: “This was a fairly feeble attempt. There was no real resistance. There was the showing of the knife and he then disappeared out of the door.

“He expresses this is wholly out of character for him. He has never resorted to violence before. His explanation is: ‘I didn’t really know what I was doing.’”

Mr Fitzgerald said Stockdale, who admitted attempted robbery, had been clean of drugs for three years, but then had family problems. His brother had previously died from a heroin overdose.

“He is drug-free again,” said Mr Fitzgerald. “He can conquer his demons. With sober reflection, he hates the fact he produced a knife and caused such trauma to the victim.

“If he were here, he would say sorry unreservedly. He has genuine remorse.”

Passing sentence by TV link with Elmley Prison, Judge Huseyin said Stockdale was now clearly in a much better condition.

"This was a fairly feeble attempt. There was no real resistance. There was the showing of the knife and he then disappeared out of the door" - John Fitzgerald, defending

“I can see certain aspects of it which lead me to believe you were in a pretty desperate situation,” he said. “You have been supporting your heroin habit, but not by violence.

“You must have been at a pretty low ebb to stoop this low. It is a serious offence because no one should be threatened with knife.”

The judge added: “It seems to me Mr Haynes had the measure of your pretty quickly.”