A SOUTHAMPTON shopkeeper, subjected to a terrifying knifepoint robbery, has been so overwhelmed by the support of local traders and customers he has shelved plans to retire.

“They have given me all the encouragement I needed to carry on,” Clive Fogg said after his assailant was jailed for more than three years.

It was shortly after 3pm on January 27 when Karl Waller-Adams came into W. White Tobacconists in London Road, a business Mr Fogg has run for 18 years.

He appeared to be browsing but Mr Fogg, 69, came increasingly uneasy about what he was doing.

The city crown court heard the heroin abuser suddenly turned round to face Mr Fogg, 69, with a black knife in his hand, telling him to open the till.

“It’s like that, is it?” Mr Fogg asked.

“Yes,” replied Waller-Adams who grabbed £300 and cheques from the till and fled.

Prosecutor Colin Meeke said the incident had considerably affected the victim’s composure and was had left the victim so unnerved he was considering retirement.

Waller-Adams, who had distinctive tattoos on his hands, was arrested shortly afterwards.

The 28-year-old, who has no settled address, admitted robbery and was jailed for three years and four months.

The court heard Waller-Adams, who asked for another offence of theft to be considered, had previous convictions for violence.

In mitigation, Jamie Gammon said that after leaving prison, he had found it difficult to control his drug addiction and spent much of his time trying to find accommodation.

“He was at his wit’s end what to do.”

Mr Gammon said Waller-Adams had not set out to commit the robbery and had not brought the knife into the shop but had found it there, which the court accepted.

Passing sentence, Judge Peter Crabtree said anyone using a knife ran the risk of causing serious harm and sole proprietors deserve protection from courts.

After the hearing, Mr Fogg said: he now had no plans to retire.

“That would have been the case when it first happened, when you are faced with something like this it does shake you up and at 69 I don’t need that hassle.

“Having said that, I have been overwhelmed by the support of people who work and live in London Road.

"Quite frankly, they have given me all the encouragement I needed to carry on.

"I didn’t realise how many nice people there are out there.

"All of them, all from different walks of life, have supported me. They have been magnificent.”

Waller-Adams was initially given a sentence of three years and seven months but this was reduced to three years and four months after Judge Peter Crabtree acknowledged he had pleaded guilty at an earlier stage than previously thought.