TWO years ago this week a robber who threatened to throw acid at a shop assistant unless she handed over the cash in the till was jailed.

Anthony Farley threatened the shop assistant at One Stop convenience shop in Poolbrook Road, Malvern, before fleeing police in his girlfriend's car, taken without his partner's permission.

The 28-year-old of Meadowsweet Court, Malvern, admitted robbery, aggravated vehicle taking, driving without insurance and failing to stop when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court.

The court heard Farley went to his partner's workplace on December 21, 2017, took the keys to her Ford Ka and drove off.

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Farley arrived at the One Stop at around 8.30pm, bought a soft drink from a shop worker before leaving and returning at 9pm, this time to buy some Rizla papers.

Peter Grice, prosecuting, said: "As she was taking payment for the Rizla papers he produced a clear plastic bottle containing a cloudy liquid and told her it was acid and he would throw it at her if she did not let him have the contents of the till."

Believing it was acid, Farley was given £320 from the till.

The defendant left the shop, but was spotted by police running towards the Ford Ka parked in Geraldine Road, Malvern. Farley was then followed by officers in an unmarked car and one of them, wearing full uniform, asked the defendant to stop.

"His reaction was to drive away," Mr Grice told the court.

The defendant later crashed the car into a gate, dislodging bricks before running away, leaving behind his two passengers.

Farley would hand himself into police at Worcester Police Station five days later.

Mr Grice said the offences were aggravated by Farley's previous convictions (he had 24 convictions for 72 offences, some dating back to when he was a juvenile) and the shop raid placed him in breach of two suspended sentences.

Barry Newton, defending, produced a medical report that showed at the time of the offending Farley's doctor had prescribed an alternative type of anti-psychotic medication. The offending happened at a time when he had come off his old medication and had yet to start taking the new, the solicitor said.

"Things all unravelled in mid to late 2016," Mr Newton added.

Judge Robert Juckes QC said it was 'a great disappointment' that Farley had begun offending again after 'apparently turning a corner', securing a work and a stable relationship.

He took into account Farley's early guilty pleas and the hiatus in his treatment for mental health issues.

Judge Juckes jailed Farley for four years in total, three years for the robbery, six months consecutive for the other matters and six months, also consecutive, activated from the suspended sentences.

He also banned Farley from driving for 18 months.