A man who robbed an Asda petrol station at gunpoint has been jailed.

David Jones of Rushcroft Road, Shaw, Oldham, was charged with one count of robbery, one count of attempted robbery, and two counts of possession of an imitation shotgun.

He was sentenced to five years on Monday 2 September, at Minshull Street Crown Court, after pleading guilty at a previous hearing.

At around 9.30pm on Saturday 11 May 2013, Jones drove a grey Vauxhall Astra up to the kiosk of the Asda petrol station on Milne Road, Chadderton.

He stopped the car and pointed the ‘shotgun’ at the cashier and demanded she gave him money. She handed over the cash before he drove off.

The next day, Jones targeted William Hill bookmakers on Oldham Road, Rochdale. At 8.25pm, he walked into the shop where there was a customer and two cashiers. He carried what was believed to have been the gun in a black plastic bin liner and demanded staff gave him money.

The staff ran into the back after seeing Jones walk in wearing a balaclava, did not give him any, and he walked off empty handed. He drove off in the Vauxhall Astra.

Detective constable Dave Meeney from the Serious Organised Crime Group said: “Following a police investigation, Jones led us to a mill off Osborne Street that he had access to. Inside, we found the car, a high-vis jacket that he wore during the first crime, his balaclava and the imitation gun.

“Although the gun was not real, the victims were not to know this and the CCTV gives an example of the terror he caused. They were naturally scared when they were faced with a man wearing a balaclava and holding a weapon. In the second incident at William Hill, the staff members were able to lock themselves in the back office and nothing was taken.

“From what officers uncovered, Jones was in a lot of debt and thought he would target businesses to help pay for it. Now he is paying for what he has done and is behind bars.”