AN armed robber who terrorised staff at his local pharmacy at gunpoint to get prescribed drugs, has been jailed for six years.

Judge Jonathan Crabtree said Steven Douglas McShane's raid on Hargrave's Chemists, in Acomb, York, was similar to post office raids.

"It looks as if you must have been getting the drugs for other people," he told the 28-year-old robber at York Crown Court.

Despite detectives arresting him within hours of the raid last month, McShane had already managed to get rid of two-thirds of the 1,500 temazepam tablets he stole.

Alan Mitcheson, prosecuting, said the robber was injecting himself as armed police burst into his home just after midnight. Earlier they had surrounded the house.

McShane, of Lindsay Avenue, Acomb, pleaded guilty to the robbery of £30 worth of temazepam, and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to rob.

Shown the replica pistol complete with its case, cartridges and a magazine, the judge said it looked "absolutely real".

"I don't suppose it makes any difference to the people facing the gun whether it is for money or drugs", said the judge.

"Shopkeepers and people in building societies and post offices are very well fed-up of raids of this kind."

And he warned McShane that he would be jailed for life if he staged any more robberies.

Mr Mitcheson said McShane terrified pharmacist Ian Hargrave and his assistant, Pamela Robinson, so much, it took them some time just to call the police.

The balaclava-clad robber confronted them with the pistol at the dispensary door, forced them to hand over the drugs and left. But the pharmacist recognised McShane's voice because for two years, the robber had been collecting prescriptions from him, and gave his name to police.

Detectives found the gun in the garden of McShane's mother.

For McShane, Simon Hickey said he had apologised to his victims.

He used temazepam to withdraw from heroin and would have used all the drug himself. He said his client was not a violent man by nature, and suggested the gun was incapable of firing. The court heard McShane faces other charges, including burglary.

Updated: 11:07 Saturday, March 10, 2001