Man jailed for 'bungled robbery' at Waterfields in Whiston

One of the two terrified women went to open the till for Connor Lunt, who had a pair of tights pulled down over his face, but then she realised he had left the premises and was walking down the street.

Lunt had tried to stab his knife, which had a four-inch blade, through a small gap in the glass security panels and police later found his fingerprints on the panels.

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Lunt was put behind bars for two and a half years on Monday, November 28 at Liverpool Crown Court by a judge who said there is “an epidemic in this country of people picking up knives and wandering the streets with them.

“Sadly very recently the use of knives in London took the lives of two youngsters,” said Recorder Michael Blakey.

The court heard that the incident occurred at Waterfields in Greenes Road, Whiston on May 5 this year. When police went to the defendant’s home they found clothing matching those worn by the offender captured on CCTV.

Lunt was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court (Image: Stock)

Matthew Conway, prosecuting, said that Lunt had gone into the store and ordered staff to “give me the money, open the f…ing till.” The terrified assistant told him she did not know how to do so and he began stabbing at the screen.

Her colleague went to open it but then realised Lunt had gone.

‘While en route to the custody suite he said ‘I made a stupid mistake’ and was due to start work on Monday’. But in interview he made no comment,” said Mr Conway.

The incident happened at Waterfields on Greenes Road, Whiston (Image: Google Streetview)

Rebecca Smith, prosecuting, said that Lunt, of Dragon Lane, Whiston, had pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and appreciated it was a serious offence.

His previous convictions involved shop lifting and he has a “depressing background and complex needs. He has an acute transient psychotic disorder not helped by substance misuse,” she said.

But she told the court that for the first time he is making steps to deal with his issues and finally has a named social worker and asked the judge not to impose an immediate jail term.

Lunt, 26, who appeared from prison via video link, interrupted proceedings to say, “I really am so sorry. I’ve learnt my lesson and won’t do anything like this again.”