A ROBBER who 'wreaked terror' on shops across Oxford during an eight-day crime wave has been jailed.

Shaun Hewitt of Gordon Street, Oxford, targeted shops and newsagents in East Oxford, Cowley and Blackbird Leys between February 4 and 12.

At each shop, Oxford Crown Court heard at his sentencing yesterday, he threatened staff with weapons including kitchen knives, meat cleavers and broken bottles.

The 40-year old showed no emotion as he was jailed for 10 years for the eight offences at four different shops – all committed just weeks after his release from prison on licence, having previously been jailed for burglary.

Outlining the incidents in court, prosecutor William Eaglestone said that during each robbery Hewitt had threatened staff with weapons, and in one case hidden a loaded BB gun in a bag.

Hewitt's first target was the Hands Newsagents on Cowley Road on Sunday, February 4, where Hewitt, armed with a seven inch kitchen knife, demanded cash from the lone cashier.

On that occasion he made off with £3,000.

Just days later on Thursday, February 8, he hit Martins Newsagents in Balfour Road, Blackbird Leys.

Wielding a meat cleaver and with the fake gun in a bag, he stole £45.28 in cash from the till.

The next day at Gainda Supermarket on St. Clements he made off with £1,000 after threatening staff with a knife.

Hewitt was finally caught during a botched robbery at the One Stop Shop on Barns Road, Cowley, on Monday, February 12, where he smashed a bottle on the counter and held the jagged edges to the throat of the store manager and demanded cash.

Undeterred, the manager snatched the bottle off him and chased him outside where an off-duty police officer, who happened to be cycling past, arrested him.

Ahead of his guilty plea for the string of offences, Hewitt had argued that he had carried out the crime wave because of ‘pressure’ from others and had even called 999 to say he had been kidnapped by a gang of men.

Prosecutors rejected that and Hewitt later owned up to carrying out the offences independently.

In mitigation, Lucy Ffrench said that her client had suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and at the time of the offences he had been in a ‘distressed and anxious state’.

She added that he had spent 18 years of his life in prison and found being on the outside ‘very difficult’.

Sentencing Hewitt, Judge Ian Pringle said: “On eight days in February this year you wreaked terror on a number of small shop owners in the East Oxford and Cowley area.

“In the case of each of these robberies you produced a bladed article to threaten.

“It was fortunate that an off-duty police officer noticed you and arrested you.”

Hewitt was jailed for a total of 10 years for the eight counts and must pay a victim surcharge.