A SECOND man convicted of attempting to rob a petrol station in Stevenage has been jailed for three years. Callum Pip Kendrick, 21, had claimed he was so drunk he did not know what was going on when his friend threatened the lone attendant with a large

A SECOND man convicted of attempting to rob a petrol station in Stevenage has been jailed for three years.

Callum 'Pip' Kendrick, 21, had claimed he was so drunk he did not know what was going on when his friend threatened the lone attendant with a large knife.

But a jury at Luton Crown Court found him guilty of attempted robbery and he was sentenced last week after reports had been considered.

Kendrick, of Lawrence Avenue, Stevenage, who had no previous convictions, was told his sentence was longer than his co-accused because he did not get a discount for pleading guilty.

Darren King, 20, of Meadow Way, Stevenage, who was in possession of the knife, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and was sentenced to 30 months in custody last month.

The offence was committed in the early hours of July 8, 2005, at the Esso garage in Broadwater Crescent where the two would-be robbers were caught on CCTV cameras.

They loitered around for quite some time and then King was seen to produce a large knife and tell the cashier to hand over the money.

But instead he pressed a panic button which locked the men inside the shop. They broke their way out through a glass door and fled.

Geoffrey Birch, defending Kendrick, said "He has not had the best start in life and comes from a dysfunctional family, but he has performed miracles under the circumstances and led a blameless life.

"He has accommodation and is attending college."

He urged the court to pass a community sentence.

But Judge Jeffrey Burke QC said the case was too serious not to pass an immediate prison sentence.