A serial criminal who carried out an armed robbery at an Ayrshire supermarket has been jailed for four and a half years.
Andrew Spooner struck at the Farmfoods branch in Main Street, Ayr, on March 26 this year.
He demanded cash from a worker after initially appearing to be buying eggs.
The 45 year-old threatened: "Do what I tell you or I will stick it in you."
Prosecutor Kath Harper told the High Court in Glasgow: “Spooner produced a red handled item and presented it to the employee, who was unable to identify the item as it was clenched in his hand.
“The worker presumed it to be a knife."
Spooner fled with just over £440.
He returned to the dock having earlier pled guilty to assault and robbery.
Spooner already had 54 convictions before his latest crime.
Lord Weir told him: "Your record is redolent of someone who has been inflicted by a drug addiction.
"You have been open about that and it is linked to this offence."
The judge said the jail term would have been six years and nine months, but for the guilty plea.
Spooner will also be supervised for three years on his release.
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