A shop robber armed with a knife told a worker "you can't do nowt" as he helped himself to £25 of groceries.
Jack Fowler went into the McColl's store in the Cruddas Park Shopping Centre, Newcastle, along with two teenage boys and started putting items, including milkshake and cheese, into a basket.
Fowler, wearing ski-type balaclava and with his hood up, headed to the exit without paying and was challenged by a member of staff, who tried to block him.
The 20-year-old told the worker he couldn't do anything and he noticed he had a kitchen knife in his right hand with a blade of six to seven inches.
Fowler then walked away with the basket of shopping, around 8pm on January 6 this year, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Police were called and were shown CCTV of Fowler and a couple of hours later they spotted him and he was arrested.
Fowler, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to robbery and having a bladed article and was sent to a young offenders institution for 18 months.
The court heard he has 28 previous convictions, including for wounding with intent, arson, assault, having a bladed article, attempted robbery and theft and was on licence from a previous 48 months sentence at the time of the robbery.
Tony Cornberg, defending, said of the knife: "It was a blink and you miss it situation. He shows the knife then walks away."
He added: "He is a young lad with no structure or boundaries, he had an extremely dysfunctional family background.
"He is on medication for ADHD and was under the influence of diazepam and had been drinking vodka."
Mr Cornberg said Fowler has been reading and writing in custody, adding: "It's impressive he has used that time in a constructive way."
