A knife-wielding robber who left a Denbigh garage assistant traumatised has been sent to prison for six years and eight months.

Crack cocaine addict Robert Hughes donned a mask and went armed with a folding knife when he carried out a raid at the Shell garage in Rhyl Road, Denbigh on April 29 this year.

He told the 19-year-old assistant, who was alone in the front of the kiosk, to “open the till or I will stab you” while brandishing the knife in his hand.

Prosecuting barrister David Maidstone told Mold Crown Court that Hughes struck the teenager in the face and then rifled the counter for packets of cigarettes before making off with £100 cash from the till.

The staff member was found in tears by a customer after the robbery. She suffered swelling to her face and in an impact statement read to the court said she was so shaken by the incident that she was considering resigning from her job because she didn’t feel safe any more.

Hughes was apprehended by a police officer with the aid of a Taser after he climbed over a nearby wall.

He was found with two packets of cigarettes and cash and a broken knife and a glove stuffed with a white mask was found discarded nearby.

Hughes, 30, of Bryn Seion, Denbigh pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of an offensive weapon.

Defence barrister Simon Killeen said: “The reality is that he [Hughes] is someone with a rather dysfunctional family background who did manage to stay out of trouble during his licence period, but unfortunately seemed to be in the grip of crack cocaine by the time he committed this offence.

“It is a mercy to him that he is back in custody where he can deal with the issue himself. He knows that is it going to be a lengthy period.”

Judge David Hale said: “No doubt in your desperation to get money for drugs you resorted to violence despite the fact you have already served one long sentence for much the same thing.”

He told Hughes he would also serve three years four months on licence and ordered he pay a victim surcharge of £170 when he was released from prison.

Det Chief Inspector Neil Harrison at St Asaph CID said: "This was a particularly nasty incident during which a young female store assistant was assaulted and so on her behalf I’m particularly pleased and reassured. However his sentence is significant too for the whole community as it follows in the very recent incarceration of a close associate of his and a closure order being granted on a property they used in the town. This sentence will have a massive impact locally and therefore just reward to the community for all the support and understanding given as this investigation progressed.

"Hughes is a prolific offender with a track record of dishonesty and so today’s sentence will make Denbigh and North Wales a much safer place with him locked up.

"Fortunately, crimes of this nature are rare in the area and together with our local communities we must ensure it remains so.

"However we can’t tackle this problem alone and key to all our work, and that of our partners, is intelligence and I cannot emphasise enough the importance of sharing concerns with us, remaining vigilant and report any suspicious activity immediately."

Det Chief Inspector Harrison added: "Information can be passed to Police via the web live chat http://www.north-wales.police.uk/contact/chat-support.aspx or phoning 101. If you’d rather pass information anonymously then phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."