THE owner of a Newport newsagents has spoke of her relief that a man who robbed her shop on Christmas day to fund his drug habit is now behind bars.

Aaron Gilbert, 21, of Clifton Place, appeared in Cardiff crown court for sentencing yesterday having previously pleaded guilty to robbing Balmoral Stores in Somerton during a terrifying attack on a shop assistant.

Prosecutor John Probert told the court Gilbert went into the shop on Christmas Day last year at around 5.15pm, when the shop was empty apart from the assistant.

Gilbert went directly to the counter, swung a plastic bag containing a solid object towards the assistant’s head and demanded money from the till.

Mr Probert said Gilbert punched the assistant once and then there was a flurry of punches from both Gilbert and the assistant, who was trying to defend himself.

Gilbert pressed buttons on the till before pulling it along the counter and kicking it until it opened.

He then grabbed a “handful of notes” before running out of the newsagents.

Mr Probert said Gilbert was identified after blood found on the floor of the newsagents matched his DNA. He was arrested on April 21.

Representing Gilbert, James Tucker said the shop assistant did not suffer any injury, but was obviously very frightened by the incident.

The court heard Gilbert admitted the offence on the basis that he only stole between £130 and £140.

Mr Tucker said Gilbert was living on the streets at the time of the offence, had been drinking and using cocaine and was in a “desperate” situation. He said Gilbert had expressed remorse for the offence.

Sentencing Gilbert to 16 months imprisonment, Judge Philip Richards said he had taken into account the fact that since the offence was committed the defendant had been serving a sentence for other offences.

Speaking after the case, Balmoral Stores owner, Rehana Bashir, 32, said she was pleased with the sentence.

Mrs Bashir, who has owned the five years, said: “He was really shook up, it was awful. I am glad he got a prison sentence, I would not have been happy with a fine.”

Mrs Bashir said they had petty thefts in the past but never anything on the scale of last year’s attack and she did not know if they would open this Christmas Day.