A MAN who brandished a knife and demanded cash from an elderly volunteer at a charity shop has been jailed.

Shaun Carlisle, of Ruscote Arcade, Longelandes Way, Banbury, admitted one count of attempted robbery as well as a count of threatening another with a bladed article.

Oxford Crown Court heard at his sentencing on Tuesday that the 54–year old had entered the Sue Ryder charity shop in Warwick Road, Banbury, on September 25 armed with a knife.

Out of ‘financial desperation’ the court heard, he approached lone volunteer Annette Stanford, 79, and demanded money from the till.

Despite spotting the knife, described as a 4 inch, black-handled kitchen knife, she refused to hand over the cash.

He became increasingly aggressive and demanded again she hand him the cash, the court heard, but the pensioner bravely stood her ground.

Carlisle then waved the weapon towards her before again demanding cash, but was again denied.

Giving up, he then left the shop and was later arrested by police.

In a statement read to the court the victim, who has volunteered at the charity once a week for the past five years, said the terrifying ordeal had left her fearful and suffering nightmares.

She said: “Since the incident I keep waking up in the middle of the night in cold sweats having had nightmares about what happened. I keep reliving events.

“It has not taken over my life but it has taken part of it.”

In mitigation, Michael Gould said his client was ‘extremely remorseful’ for the incident and said he had carried out the bungled robbery out of ‘financial desperation.’

He added: “He has long-running mental health issues; borderline personality disorder and anxiety which he has struggled with for a considerable part of his life.

“He expresses serious remorse for his actions and for the effect it has had on his victim.”

Judge Ian Pringle QC jailed Carlisle for a total of four years and two months, made up of 50 months for the attempted robbery and 18 months for threatening another with a bladed article, to run concurrently.