A ROBBER held up Blackburn shops with a nail gun during a three-month crime spree, a court was told.

Thomas Moffett, 43, of Roebuck Close, Blackburn, appeared at Preston Crown Court yesterday on trial for six counts of robbery, which he denies.

Moffett is accused of using an industrial nail gun to twice hold up three off-licences in Blackburn in March and May this year.

He is accused of robbing The Local, formerly Victoria Wine, Redlam, on May 24, stealing £80 in cash, and on March 27, stealing £100 in cash.

Moffett is also charged with robbing Booze Buster, Wensley Road, on May 15, stealing cash, tobacco and vodka worth £109.57, and on May 21, again stealing cash, tobacco and vodka worth £81.89.

He is charged with robbing Bargain Booze, Livesey Branch Road, on May 17, stealing cash and tobacco worth £236 and again on May 21, stealing cash and tobacco worth £235. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Yesterday, in the first day of the trial, the court heard from Jacqueline Ashworth, senior sales assistant at The Local, who was on duty for both alleged robberies.

Speaking of the second incident, she said: "I thought not again, you must be joking'. My immediate reaction was that I knew it was the same person, with his mannerisms, the shape of his face, and with what he was saying."

After the robbery she pushed a silent alarm button and the police were called, the court was told.

The court heard from prosecuting barrister Tim Brennan that a number of features in each robbery were similar, including the mask worn as a disguise, a bag worn by the robber, the gun, and the fact he made off on a pedal cycle.

After the final robbery, police raided a flat on Stansfield Street, Blackburn, connected with Moffett, and found a nail gun, a ski mask and the remains of a dye pack which had been activated as security after the final robbery, the court heard.

Items of clothing were found with red marks said to be from the dye pack.

Mr Brennan also said the products demanded during the robberies had also been similar, including Smirnoff vodka, and Lambert and Butler cigarettes.

The court heard the robbery at Booze Buster had left a shop assistant "nervous and terrified" and "trembling with fear" after the nail gun had been pointed at him.

Mr Brennan said: "You can well imagine, can't you, members of the jury, what anyone working behind a counter would have thought when it was pointed and brandished in that particular way."

Of the mask used, Mr Brennan added: "This is a bespoke piece of equipment needed by the would-be armed robber to disguise his features."

Cross-examining, defence barrister Jon Maxwell argued the robber had not been known by Jacqueline Ashworth but Mr Moffett had been a regular customer.

(proceeding)