A PROMISING would-be Army recruit has been jailed for robbing his former workplace at knifepoint and fleeing frompolice at hospital in handcuffs.

Matthew McKechnie had a good upbringing and three A-Levels but spiralled into a life of drink and drugs after his career failed to take off, Oxford Crown Court heard.

He went to Pen to Paper stationers in Banbury Road, Summertown, Oxford, on October 24, armed with a knife he had bought from a 99p store just hours before.

The 25-year-old was jailed for 32 months at Oxford Crown Court on Monday after earlier admitting robbery, having an offensive weapon, and escaping from lawful custody.

Justine Davidge, prosecuting, said shop assistant Benjamin Rimmer was cashing up when McKechnie – who had previously worked with the victim – knocked on the back door. He forced his way in, waving the knife.

Miss Davidge said: “The defendant took hold of his (Mr Rimmer’s) forearms and told him to get down on the floor.”

She said McKechnie forced his victim to turn off the CCTV and then took £1,349.99.

She added: “Brandishing the knife, he demanded the keys to the safe. Mr Rimmer found the keys and he went to the safe and handed over two bags of bank notes to the defendant.”

After throwing the shop assistant’s mobile phone and the shop’s landline phone out of the window, McKechnie, of Waynflete Road, Barton, Oxford, escaped.

He was later arrested at his home, where money bags and a receipt for the knife were found.

He initially denied carrying out the robbery. After he was charged, McKechnie claimed he was prone to seizures and police took him to hospital.

While still handcuffed and guarded by police in the ambulance bay at the John Radcliffe Hospital, he sprinted off.

Miss Davidge said the defendant scalde a fence but was captured about 300 yards away.

He told officers “that was a bit of training for you” and claimed he was “a bit bored and needed excitement”, the court heard.

James Reilly, defending, said his client had three A-Levels, came from a supportive family and was “deeply remorseful”.

He said a knee injury had stopped his planned career in the Army and led McKechnie to drink and Class A drugs.

Mr Reilly said the defendant was effectively homeless at the time of the offence and had split up from his girlfriend that day.

Judge Mary Jane Mowat said McKechnie’s good upbringing was unlike that of most criminals.

She said: “You had much more in life and you failed to make anything of it.”