A MAN has been jailed after being convicted of car-jacking a woman's BMW as she loaded her shopping.

Darren Edwards, aged 26, threatened to shoot Patricia Sutton if she did not hand over the keys to her car.

Yesterday Edwards, who had previous convictions for aggravated vehicle taking, was jailed for three years to be served after he has completed five months and 12 days of licence outstanding from a previous prison sentence.

Patricia Sutton was putting her shopping into her V-reg BMW when Edwards approached her. He demanded her car but Mrs Sutton thought he was joking.

But he told her:" You had better give me the car or I'll shoot you," and he put his hand in his pocket as though he had gun.

Terrified ,Mrs Sutton handed over her keys and Edwards drove away at high speed.

As he drove off Edwards appeared to deliberately ram another vehicle twice, injuring the driver, Brian Marshall.

Edwards, aged 26, of Clarence Street, Atherton, had been on trial at Bolton Crown Court on the second day of his trial.

He was convicted of affray and aggravated vehicle taking on May 25 last year. He had denied both charges.

Mrs Sutton had been shopping in the Iceland frozen food store in Bradshawgate in Leigh when both she and an assistant noticed a man behaving oddly.

She finished her shopping and went outside to her BMW car which she had left in the car park.

As she was putting her shopping in the basket Edwards stood very close to her and said to her:" Give me your car."

She thought he was joking but he said to her:" you had better give me your car or I'll shoot you," and moved his hand to his pocket as though he was reaching for a gun.

The terrified woman handed over her keys. Edwards then drove away at speed but appeared to deliberately ram another vehicle twice, pushing it off the road and injuring the driver.

Police had a good description of Edwards and later spotted the stolen car parked in the car park of Bond's Tavern in Tyldesley.

They went inside and arrested Edwards, who matched the description of the car-jacker given by Mrs Sutton and witnesses.

Edwards tried to escape from police as the got outside the pub but the officers managed to restrain him with handcuffs.

When they searched him at the station the BMW car keys were found in his pocket. He said to officers: " Where's that come from?"