A terrified shop worker had a "massive knife" held to her stomach by a robber who demanded the takings.
The victim, who is a grandmother, was working behind the till at a Co-op in Sunderland when she was targeted by Conor Bates.
Despite him telling her he didn't want to hurt her, the robbery has left her deeply traumatised and she has been left frightened to leave her house.
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Newcastle Crown Court heard it happened around 9.45pm on November 8 last year at the shop on North Moor Lane, Sunderland.
The victim, who had worked there for 16 years, was approached by Bates, who told her: "Open the till."
Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw said: "At first she thought he was playing a joke but then she realised he had a large knife with a 12 inch blade.
"He put the knife against her stomach and said again 'Open the till. I don't want to f****** hurt you'."
The victim opened the till and also pressed a panic button to alert her manager, who got between the robber and the woman.
While taking £464, Bates said: "I'm sorry about this, I don't want to hurt anyone, I'm homeless".
In a victim impact statement, the shop worker said: "This has had a huge impact on my life in lots of ways.
"I've never been subjected to anything like this before. I've had threats before but I've not had someone pull a knife on me and it's caused so much distress and fear.
"I feel like my life has been put on hold."
She added that she was left "petrified" in case it happened again and was left feeling like a "prisoner in my own home" and suffering from "extreme anxiety".
She also said she had been unable to return to work and had not been able to go out to buy her children or grandchildren Christmas presents
Bates, 23, of no fixed address, who has 30 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery and possessing an offensive weapon and was jailed for five years and four months with an extended licence period of a further two years.
Jamie Adams, defending, said Bates left his family home at age 16 and is still very young and "immature".
Mr Adams said Bates had been trying to say "I'm not going to hurt you, just let me get the money" and did not use any actual violence.
