AN Ellesmere Port man who received life-threatening injuries when he was stabbed had previously been part of a terrifying robbery at a corner shop where the newsagent was threatened with an axe.

Kurt Williams, 35, of Atherton Road, pleaded guilty at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday, September 9 to robbery at Nathans Food and Wine in Whetstone Hey, Great Sutton, on February 16, on the basis he was in a 'lookout role' at the entrance to the newsagents.

The court heard the other three men involved in the robbery have not yet been apprehended, and Williams had given no clues as to the other offenders' identity.

Three months after the terrifying crime, having been granted bail, Williams was stabbed in broad daylight by 45-year-old Anthony Gee in an unrelated incident at the junction of Cambridge Road and Whitby Road in Ellesmere Port on Wednesday, May 13.

A nearby taxi driver drove him to hospital and Chester Crown Court heard that swift action arguably saved Williams's life.

Williams required extensive surgery to treat the stab wound and his spleen was removed, along with most of his pancreas.

Appearing via videolink at the court from HMP Altcourse on Wednesday, Williams was sentenced by Judge Simon Berkson to six years for the robbery, plus three months for breaching a suspended sentence imposed last year for possession with intent to supply a class B drug.

Prosecuting, Frances Willmott said the robbery involved four men wearing dark clothing. One threatened the store owner, who held his hands up and cowered in the corner of the store as he was threatened with an axe.

A total of £150 in cash and cigarettes were stolen, along with the till, with CCTV footage of the robbery shown to the court.

After the robbery, the victim pressed the panic alarm and then called police.

An item of clothing left at the scene contained a key which was traced to Williams's girlfriend's address.

Police found cut-up pyjama bottoms which matched the clothing Williams had used as a face covering, with DNA evidence proving a match.

Initially, when interviewed, Williams denied the robbery and gave an alibi, but the people he named did not back it up.

He subsequently pleaded guilty.

A victim impact statement from the man running the shop alone at the time said he had never experienced anything like it before and did not feel safe in Ellesmere Port any more, moving himself and his family out of the town.

He had flashbacks and nightmares, felt anxiety every time he saw someone in dark clothing, and felt he was still looking over his shoulder, knowing that while one person had been caught for the robbery, the others had not.

He had been diagnosed with PTSD and did not feel safe alone outside, and had been at a constantly low mental state.

Williams had six convictions for 17 previous offences, including nine for theft, but none as serious as robbery.

Defending, Brian Treadwell said Williams had gained an insight what it was like to be a victim of crime, and his depression had spiralled.

He had written a letter to the court expressing remorse, an apology, and regret.

The life-changing injury he had received meant it was unlikely there would be any repeat offending.

Judge Berkson told Williams he was "willing" to play that lookout role during the serious robbery as the other three "menacing" people entered the corner shop.

The offence had left the victim with severe psychological harm. "He had to leave Ellesmere Port, he was so frightened," Judge Berkson added.

The judge acknowledged that Williams had, like the robbery victim, suffered serious harm, but the previous convictions and the crime happening while Williams was on a suspended sentence aggravated the offence.