A robber threatened a worker with a knife in one of two raids at the same store in less than a week, a court has heard.

Einoras Jonaitis, 31, held a knife and shouted “money, money” to the terrified worker as he shoved his hand in the till grabbing cash to pay for drugs.

Norwich Crown Court heard it was the first of two raids Jonaitis carried out in six days at the Premier store on St Nicholas Road, Great Yarmouth.

Eastern Daily Press: Premier store, St Nicholas Road, Great Yarmouth

Chris Youell, prosecuting, said in the first raid, on August 25 2022, Jonaitis “produced a knife” and made it “quite clear he wanted money” before taking cash from the till.

Mr Youell said the defendant returned to the same store, wearing the same clothes, on August 31 last year and again shouted “money, money” to a different shop assistant.

But Jonaitis did not have a weapon on this occasion and Mr Youell said the worker was made of “stern stuff” and “screamed at him to get out”.

He tried to push past her and grab the till but was not able to and he fled.

Jonaitis, a Lithuanian national of no fixed abode, appeared at court for sentencing on Wednesday (May 3) having admitted robbery on August 25 last year and attempted robbery on August 31 2022.

Eastern Daily Press:

He also asked for six other offences, one robbery and five shop thefts, to be taken into consideration (TIC).

Jailing him for four years Judge Anthony Bate had “targeted” the same shop in Yarmouth in a robbery and attempted robbery just “six days apart”.

He said the raids would have been “frightening” for the staff members he confronted.

He told Jonaitis he would likely be deported at the end of his prison sentence, although that would be up to the Home Office.

Jonaitis, who represented himself in court, chose to say nothing but had previously told probation officers he was homeless and had been offending “to fund his drug habit”.