A FAILED chef who stole around £3,500 from an elderly shopkeeper at knifepoint has been jailed for three years.

Kristopher Williams, below, formerly of Lucy Faithfull House homeless shelter in Oxford, robbed JK News in Abingdon Road, Oxford, on March 10 last year.

Cathy Olliver, prosecuting, said he walked into the convenience store at around 7pm with a scarf over his face carrying an eight-inch knife.

On Thursday she told Oxford Crown Court that the 31-year-old pointed the knife at Chuhar Singh behind the till and said: “Give me the money.”

The barrister said the shopkeeper, who is in his 70s, was “shaking and frightened” as he handed over £3,450 – the previous two days’ takings.

Claire Fraser, defending, told Judge Patrick Eccles her client had been a law student at Oxford Brooks University before he dropped out and found work as a chef. She said: “He worked at the Old Parsonage Hotel and Brasserie Blanc, but contracted dermatitis in his hands and had to give it up.

“He lost his employment and became homeless. This led to a downward spiral of taking drugs and drinking to excess.”

Miss Tapper said Williams carried out the robbery as he had been told to leave Lucy Faithfull House and had nowhere to live and no money.