A robber threatened a shopkeeper with a bread knife while stealing money from a till with a plastic bag over his head.
Benn Murphy, 27, walked into a Lifestyle Express store in Barry on January 17 and threatened Amal Raju in a robbery that was caught on CCTV.
Having taken between £200 and £300 Murphy proceeded to buy Valium and attempted to take his own life, having recently discovered his father's dead body, a court heard. As a result of the robbery Mr Raju decided to leave his job, which left him struggling financially.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court was told Murphy entered the store at around 8pm when Mr Raju was behind the counter and was alone.
Prosecutor Jenny Yeo said the defendant was wearing a pink transparent bag over his head, which Mr Raju initially believed was a substitute for a face mask.
After walking around the shop Murphy walked behind the counter and said: "Give me all the money or I'll take you out."
Mr Raju said he was not initially concerned because the defendant was a regular customer but Murphy said: "Take out all the money and give it to me." The victim told him he had no money and Murphy pulled a bread knife from his back pocket and waved it at him.
Ms Yeo said: "[Mr Raju] was extremely frightened and was shaking. He moved the cash from the till but did it slowly hoping someone would walk in and interrupt them.
"Benn Murphy took the money, put the knife back into his pocket, and left the shop, using his shirt to cover his hand as he opened the door." The defendant was later arrested after police officers identified him on CCTV footage.
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In his victim personal statement Mr Raju said: "I was nervous leaving work on the Sunday night and the police gave me a lift home that day. I told my wife and she wanted me to give up the job. I couldn't sleep and kept seeing the same replay of the incident again and again.
"I worried about getting the train to work as I often saw the defendant and I was worried about leaving my job and getting another one."
Ms Yeo said: "Because of all these problems and his bad experience he explained to his boss he couldn't work there any more and he has suffered from that financially."
Following his arrest Murphy admitted the offence and said he was suffering from PTSD and depression having recently lost his father in tragic circumstances. The defendant said he initially intended to take his own life at home but decided to steal money to buy tablets.
Murphy, of Holton Road, Barry, later pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a blade in a public place.
The court heard Murphy was sentenced to nine and a half years imprisonment in 2014 for being involved in the robbery of a 92-year-old man with cancer. He was still on licence at the time of the 2021 offence.
In mitigation defence barrister Harry Baker said his client pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and had the "good sense and grace" to apologise to Mr Raju.
Sentencing, Judge Christopher Vosper QC said: "I have to take into account your previous convictions and the fact you were on licence when you committed this offence, an identical type of offence, which are aggravating features."
Murphy was sentenced to 56 months imprisonment.
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