A YOUNG masked robber who targeted a Sauchie grocery store TWICE within a few days has been locked up for almost five years.

Stephen Roche armed himself with a kitchen knife and terrified a female shop worker at Evelyn’s Convenience Store into handing over cash from the till.

The 20-year-old blew his ill-gotten gains on new clothes and a games console before he struck the Pompee Road store again just THREE days later.

Police traced the young thug through CCTV footage and DNA found on a home-made balaclava he had dumped in a nearby wheelie bin.

Roche, of Park Crescent, Sauchie, initially told police he hadn’t entered the shop in weeks and had been splashing out with gambling winnings.

The former Lornshill Academy pupil eventually confessed to the double robbery – calling it “stupidity”.

Roche was sentenced to four years and eight months detention at Alloa Sheriff Court on Thursday 2 October but was warned it could have been greater.

Sheriff Kenneth McGowan said he had considered remitting Roche’s case to the High Court for sentence but decided against it due to his age.

He said, “Based on the narrative and contents of the [social work] report there are simply no mitigating factors. These are two very serious offences committed within days of each other, aggravated by the fact that you had your face obscured, they were pre-planned and you went armed.” He added that his sentenced had been reduced from seven years due to his early plea. Fiscal depute Ann Orr explained that on 9 June employee Nahaad Mushtaq was working alone in the store at around 2pm when Roche entered the premises.

She said, “He was wearing a balaclava on his face and holding a large kitchen knife. He produced a white and green carrier bag and pointed the knife towards Ms Mushtaq and demanded money. She opened the till and began to give the accused money from the register.

“The accused moved towards her saying something similar to ‘Give me the ******* money. Give me all of it’. Ms Mushtaq took notes and coins from the till and put them in the carrier bag. The accused was spooked by a noise in the rear of the store and left with the knife and bag.” Later that afternoon residents in Branshill Park returned home to find their blue wheelie bin had been emptied by the council but contained a kitchen knife, jacket, home-made balaclava and carrier bag.

Roche appeared at his home with a Playstation 3, games and new clothes and told his parents that he had won £200 at the bookies.

Three days later, on 12 June, Roche left his house around 12.30pm and returned home drunk four hours later wearing a navy hoodie that wasn’t his.

At around 5pm Ms Mushtaq was working alone when the teenager entered the store wearing tights on his head and carrying a hammer.

Ms Orr said, “The accused started shouting at Ms Mushtaq ‘Open the till now, give me the ******* money now’. The accused had a hammer in his left hand which he raised above his head and brandished it at the complainer.

“Ms Mushtaq was terrified and couldn’t get the till opened. This annoyed the accused and he leaned across the counter. Ms Mushtaq managed to get the till open and handed the accused all of the notes that were inside. The accused kept shouting at her to give him the rest of the money. There were only coins remaining and she was struggling to get them out of the till.” Roche grabbed the rest of the cash from the till and stuffed it in his bag, then ran out of the shop.

Police had traced the thug through CCTV footage and caught up with him at his home later that night.

He initially told officers that he had won cash on a roulette machine and denied ever entering the store in the previous fortnight – but claimed that he couldn’t remember anything about the 9 June as he was on valium. He eventually confessed after police had ended the interview.

The court heard that the owner of the store said there was £1800 in the till during the time of the first robbery, due to a scheduled delivery of goods, however Roche claimed he only stole £300.

Alistair Burleigh, defending, said his client was “apologetic” for his behaviour.

He said, “He is well aware there can be no alternative to custody. These two offences are serious but a complete departure from his previous offending.” He added, “He does fully realise he must have terrified this lady.”