A ROBBER brandishing a gun threatened to blow off a shop assistant's head, a court was told.

The allegation was made in the trial of Thomas Moffett, 43, of Roebuck Close, Blackburn, who is charged with carrying out six robberies in the town.

Initially, customer Anthony Goy thought it was a wind-up when the armed and masked raider entered the Booze Buster shop in Livesey Branch Road.

The drama unfolded after Mr Goy had bought some wine and was leaving the premises on March 17 this year.

The prosecution at Preston Crown Court claim that Moffett was responsible and had used an industrial nail gun in hold-ups.

Mr Goy said of the robber he saw: "He put the gun to my head and told me to get back into the shop.

"I was walking out the shop door as he was coming in."

The robber was wearing a mask, with holes for eyes, the court heard. The weapon pointed at Mr Goy was thicker at the end of the barrel, suggesting it may have been a silencer, the court was told.

The armed man told him to get into the back of the shop.

He also told a female member of staff to go to the back of the shop.

He appeared very calm, prompting the witness to form the opinion that he had done such a thing before.

A female assistant was forced to hand over cash and tobacco.

She told the court that afterwards the robber said "Give me two minutes, or I'll blow your heads off". He left with around £200 cash, plus the tobacco.

(Proceeding)