A man has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison after he threatened to shoot a gun during an attempted robbery at a petrol station in Hitchin last year.
Dean Scholes, 35, and of no fixed address, was found guilty of attempted robbery and sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Tuesday, January 28.
The court heard how on January 20, 2019, Scholes entered the Esso petrol station in Hitchin's Nightingale Road and insinuated that he had a gun in his pocket, although no weapon was seen.
He then threatened to shoot the gun if the cashier didn't open the till and give him money. Scholes, who did not take anything, fled the scene on foot after a woman entered the shop.
Detective Constable Michael Hardiman said: "We hope this sentence goes to show that crimes of this nature will not be tolerated.
"Thankfully, crimes involving a firearm are very unusual in our county, but we take any threat of firearms extremely seriously."
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