A ONE-LEGGED robber has been jailed after a crime spree which included him targeting a petrol station in Bury.

Manchester Crown Court heard how Robert Clarke, 35, stole guitars and keyboards from a music store in Manchester city centre before he took part in a robbery at Morrisons petrol station in Whitefield.

Alison Mather, prosecuting, said on June 12 2019, at around 10.15pm, a staff member saw a group of masked males running into the store.

One began trying to kick the staff member who was standing behind the till while a second man ran through to a back office.

A third man, identified as Clarke, also entered and the men began filling up a bag with cigarettes and alcohol before escaping.

Another member of staff was in the bathroom at the time of the raid and contacted police.

Items worth around £1,400 were taken during the robbery with Clarke later identified through DNA taken from a bag that had been dropped at the scene.

The court also heard that between April 2018 and May 2019, Clarke took part in five thefts during which guitars and keyboards were taken from Dawsons Music Store on Portland Street in Manchester.

Ms Mather said Clarke, of Lanbury Drive, Manchester, was identified as the "primary offender" during these thefts from the shop where he would select an instrument and lift it over the security barrier while others kept watch.

The total worth of the instruments stolen from the shop over a 14 month period came to £4,374.99.

Ms Mather added that Clarke, who is originally from Bury, had four previous convictions for robbery or attempted robbery.

A victim personal statement from the shop's manager said he and the staff felt "demoralised, angry and upset" by Clarke who he added had been "plaguing" the store.

Rachel White, defending, said: "The underlying problem is Mr Clarke's drug addiction which is longstanding and you may notice he is now an amputee having lost his leg as a consequence of years of drug abuse.

"He realises he is not going to live to a ripe old age if he continues in the manner in which he has been."

Sentencing Clarke to 41 months in prison, Recorder Alex Menary QC, said: "Those that involve themselves in drugs and the drugs trade ultimately know it contains a lot of unsavoury characters."