A KNIFE-WIELDING robber who threatened a shopkeeper and demanded cash will find out next month if he will be sent to prison.

Lyam Ridley, 31, will be sentenced after admitting threatening Mihir Amin, a worker at Cellar Plus, in Whitmore Way, Basildon, with a 7ins blade.

The brave shopkeeper used a stool from behind the counter to keep the knifeman at bay.

Mr Amin, 44, refused to hand over any money, forcing Ridley to leave the shop empty-handed.

Unemployed Ridley, of Gobions, Basildon, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery during a hearing at Basildon Crown Court.

He will return to be sentenced in the week beginning Monday, March 7.

Ridley was identified and later arrested after police released CCTV stills of the incident, which took place on Saturday, July 11, last year.

Describing what happened after Ridley entered Cellar Plus at about 10pm Mr Amin said at the time: “This guy came in and went to the beer section. Two minutes later, he came to the counter and started shouting ‘you give me money’.

“I said I couldn’t give him any money and that’s when he pulled out the knife.

“I grabbed the stool from behind the counter to protect myself. He kept saying ‘give me the money’ and kept pointing the knife.

“But because I had the stool in front of me he couldn’t do anything and just gave up and walked away.

“It was very scary, I just kept thinking of my safety and grabbed the stool.”

Mr Amin has since left the country, according to staff in Cellar Plus.