A 20-YEAR-OLD man from Taunton tried to fist bump his victim after robbing a petrol station with a pair of scissors.

Corey Chapple, of Crossways, Taunton was sentenced by Judge James Townsend at Taunton Crown Court today (Thursday, April 11).

Chapple, who suffers with mental health difficulties, was up for a string of offences, having been on a suspended sentence for causing Actual Bodily Harm in 2017.

In 2018 he was living at The Beach Hotel YMCA in Minehead when at 2.46am on October 26 police were called to reports of a man waving a knife around outside the hostel.

Harry Ahuja, speaking on behalf of the prosecution, explained that when the police arrived the defendant walked away on foot, but when threatened with a Taser by a policeman, he dropped the knife and was arrested.

While on bail for that incident, on Friday, January 18 this year Chapple entered the petrol station on Townsend Road in Minehead at 7.20am with a pair of scissors.

He approached the till and told the staff member, who happened to be the station manager, to hand over cash from the till.

The manager, who initially believed the pair of scissors to be a knife, yielded to Chapple's demands fearing he might use the weapon.

"The store manager described the defendant as fidgety and agitated but not aggressive," Mr Ahuja said.

"He opened a black backpack which he ordered the store clerk to put in cigarettes, amber leaf tobacco and rolling papers, lighters and two bottles of Glen's Vodka."

The total value of the items stolen added up to £534.

Chapple told the store manager "I am sorry, I had to," before trying to fist-bump the victim and leaving the premises as another customer entered the store, the court heard.

Police managed to track down Chapple and when he was arrested officers found the bag full of tobacco and £110 of cash in his pockets.

Mr Ahuja read a victim impact statement on behalf of the store manager who said he had been 'on edge' since the incident, and his staff were concerned about being left alone on evening shifts but he did not have the budget to put a second worker on.

Defending, Patrick Mason said Chapple suffered with mental health difficulties, particularly anxiety, brought on by a difficult childhood.

He had developed an addiction to drugs which left him £1,000 in debt, and Mr Mason said this drove him to act out of desperation and commit this offence.

"He is supported by his grandmother, who is here today and has been at every hearing," Mr Mason said.

"She has said he can live with her upon his release."

Sentencing, Judge Townsend said: "There is no doubt that you have a troubled background, but you have shown a pattern of behaviour that is worrying, and in my judgement a custodial sentence must be passed."

Chapple was sentenced to a total of two years and three months in a young offenders institution.