A 'DANGEROUS' man who robbed a convenience store worker returned to the scene of the crime to hand himself in a few hours later after snorting four lines of cocaine.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Junaid Nawaz later told police that he had money for the drugs but committed the robbery so he would be sent back to jail or a mental health facility.

Prosecuting, Stephen Parker said the robbery at the McColl’s store in Brierfield on October 21 happened months after Nawaz had been released from Guild Lodge unit in Preston, and at the time of the incident he was having a psychotic episode.

Mr Parker said at about 12.30pm victim Ashley Wheaton-Williams was serving a woman who was with her two young children.

She handed over £50 and as Mr Wheaton-Williams opened the till to deposit the money Nawaz made a grab for it.

Mr Parker said Mr Wheaton-Williams instinctively closed the till but accidentally trapped his thumb.

Nawaz then demanded money and snatched two £20 notes from Mr Wheaton-Williams.

He ran out of the shop but Mr Wheaton-Williams decided against chasing him because of concerns for the welfare of the mother and two children.

Mr Parker said: “The incident then took a somewhat bizarre turn. The defendant rang 999 on two occasions to confess he was responsible for the robbery.

“Around 3.30pm, a couple of hours after the incident, he went back to the store. He was recognised by the manager who had reviewed the CCTV earlier on. He was wearing the same clothing.”

Mr Parker said Nawaz told the store manager that he had come to hand himself in. She told the defendant to wait and police were called.

Mr Parker said: “He appears to have got fed up of waiting and went home. The police knew where to find him because he had given them his details when he telephoned them earlier on.

“Police attended shortly after 5pm and the defendant was arrested at his home.”

Mr Parker said that when police asked Nawaz if he still had the £40 he said he had bought cocaine with it and had done four lines shortly after the robbery.

Mr Wheaton-Williams suffered muscle damage to his thumb in the incident. In his victim statement he said he was now jumpy at social interactions and his personality had become quieter.

Nawaz, 24, of Livingstone Walk, Brierfield, pleaded guilty to robbery.

The court heard he has nine convictions for 14 offences, including robbery and three assaults committed while in custody.

Defending, Philip Holden said his client suffered from psychosis and schizophrenia.

Mr Holden said: “He handed himself in effectively, admitting matters to police and going back to the store. Whether that was wise is perhaps a moot point.”

Sentencing Nawaz to three years in jail, Judge Sara Dodd said: “I have no doubt, given the contents of the pre-sentence report, that you are dangerous.”