A man has been jailed for more than three years after robbing a shop with a fake gun.

Baheej Issa, 20, of Shakespeare Avenue in Southampton, appeared at Southampton Crown Court yesterday (9 June) to be sentenced after he pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of an imitation firearm while committing a Schedule 1 offence.

The court heard Issa had entered Coleman’s Confectioners on Commercial Street in Southampton between 10pm and 11pm on 31 October 2024.

He handed a note to a member of staff, demanding money or he would shoot them.

Staff said they would call the police and Issa then pulled what looked like a gun out of his pocket and pointed it at one of the staff members.

This was later revealed to be an umbrella handle and a pan handle stuck together to look like a gun, something Issa had made himself.

The court heard Issa then went behind the counter, stole some cigarettes and ran out of the store, dropping the cigarettes as he left.

Issa was sentenced to a total of 38 months imprisonment.