A metal bar-wielding man has been jailed for the attempted robbery of a convenience store.

Christopher Cuthbertson has been sentenced to 26 months in prison after attempting to rob Vikram Saligrama’s AK Local Food and Wine Store in Longton, Staffordshire.

The attempted robbery took place last October 15 when the perpetrator entered the store with a metal bar demanding that the retailer hand over the contents of the till and cigarettes. When Vikram refused, Cuthbertson punched the retailer in the face. After a brief struggle which involved Cuthbertson hitting the till with the metal bar, he fled the store with a single bag of crisps.

He was later arrested in connection with a separate incident. He was found guilty of attempted robbery and causing criminal damage during the other incident.

Vikram said the would-be raider was “clearly under the influence of drugs”. “He waited for a customer to leave so we were alone and he raised the metal bar,” said Vikram. “He was waving the bar around which was quite frightening.

“He smashed the plastic at the side of the till and said he was going to steal the cash,” added the retailer. “But he just grabbed a big bag of Doritos and ran out.”

Presiding over the case, Judge Paul Glenn said: “Mr Saligrama is a shopkeeper providing a valuable public service and is susceptible to yobs like you. You were armed with a metal bar and you grabbed a packet of crisps before you fled. You showed persistence. No doubt the shopkeeper felt the bar would be used against him.”