A THUG armed with a sword who tried to rob a shop in Greenock was yesterday jailed for four years.

Arthur Rennie, 20, of King Street in Port Glasgow, was foiled in his raid on Cowden’s by brave shop assistant 23-year-old Julie Crighton, who refused to hand over cash and chased him out of the premises – armed only with a plastic fork.

A bag containing the sword and sheath and a hoodie and t-shirt were discovered the day after the botched robbery.

The clothes had Rennie’s DNA on them.

The incident took place in Lynedoch Street on March 16 last year while Ms Crighton was behind the shop counter making sandwiches.

Rennie, recently convicted at the High Court in Glasgow, continues to protest his innocence.

Before his client was sentenced yesterday, defence counsel Tony Lenehan described Rennie’s childhood as ‘desolate and chaotic’.

During the trial, Ms Crighton, giving evidence, said: “He was brandishing what I thought was a machete and made his way to the side of the counter.

“He came towards me and pushed me and I pushed him back. I think he realised I wasn’t going to give him anything.

“He went out and I went out the shop after him.”
In court she was shown a sword with a two-foot blade and identified that as the weapon she saw in the shop.

Sending Rennie to jail yesterday, Judge Lady Rae told him: “I appreciate you don’t accept the jury’s verdict, but the evidence showed that you went into the shop – along with another – with your face covered and a large sword.

“That young woman was extremely brave to tackle you, and you then ran away.”