AN armed robber “scared the daylights” out of two women he threatened with a knife as he raided a Southampton dry cleaners.

Heroin addict David Crawshaw held the knife to the throat of terrified customer Patricia Wood after he had failed to get cash from the till to fund his £30 a day habit, a court heard.

Moments earlier he had pressed the knife into the stomach of the shop assistant at Atlantic dry cleaners, snarling: “I want the money from the till, open the till.”

Southampton Crown Court heard that the brave staff member refused so Crawshaw turned his attention to Ms Wood, who is in her 50s.

Prosecutor Tim Dracass said: “He then turned to her and said: ‘I’ll have your money instead.’”

Putting the knife to her throat, he rifled through her handbag snatching £40 in cash, bankcards and her driving licence before fleeing the shop in Lodge Road.

“Although she was not hurt, she was in a state of distress and shock.

She was also worried that he had her driving licence, which contained her address, ” Mr Dracass added.

A description of the wanted man was circulated and about a week later two police officers saw Crawshaw walking in Portswood and arrested him.

Crawshaw, 38, of Bellevue Road, Southampton, admitted robbery and attempted robbery.

Jailing him for five years, Judge Patrick Hooton told him: “You scared the daylights out of these woman. It must have been a terrifying experience for them.”

David Reid, mitigating, outlined how Crawshaw, who was described in court as a paranoid schizophrenic, began taking drugs at 13.

“Although he accepts it was a highly unpleasant experience for them, there was minimal force used. He is however genuinely shocked, disgusted and upset about the effect his behaviour had on these two women,” he added.