A debt-ridden man led a double life to hide his spiralling debt - by donning a Dracula mask and robbing his village shop three times.

Darren McAdam is behind bars after raiding the Eythorne store, once in May and twice within a fortnight in November.

Watch McAdam rob one of the shops

The 49-year-old was jailed for six years at Canterbury Crown Court today.

McAdam, who has 20 previous convictions for 49 offences, appeared to give up crime 15 years-ago and begin a new path as a welder.

But after becoming unfit for work and embroiled in debt, the father took matters into his own hands, the court heard.

Masked in a balaclava, McAdam jemmied Eythorne Village Store’s till and made off with £2,000 as the owner unloaded goods outside in May last year.

Concealed in a hoodie and waving some kind of tool, McAdam threatened the owner before making off with £1,100 on November 7.

He raised the unidentified weapon and barked “money” at Rakesh Patel who handed over the cash.

McAdam’s green Ford Focus getaway car would soon be discovered on fire in Barham, near Canterbury.

He then burst into the Sandwich Road shop unarmed, wearing a white Count Dracula mask demanding more cash in front of a customer on the morning of November 20.

Mr Patel was forced to hand over £400.

“My store has been targeted three times this year, I’m scared for my safety and the safety of my family..."

But McAdam’s plans were thwarted when an eye-witness gave chase, and then handed the getaway car number plate details to police.

The black Citroen Saxo was discovered half a mile from the shop, a bag containing his clothes and mask was discovered close by.

McAdam’s barrister Phil Rowley told the court his client fell into debt looking after his child after being signed off unfit for work.

But instead of speaking to his partner McAdam “buried his head in the sand” and broke a 14-year-long stretch of non-offending, he said.

When judge Rupert Lowe became visibly surprised the crimes weren’t linked to drink, drugs or gambling, McAdam could be seen vehemently protesting via videolink from HMP Elmley.

Mr Patel told the court: “My store has been targeted three times this year, I’m scared for my safety and the safety of my family.

“It also makes me worried someone could be waiting outside my store, as they are deliberately targeting me.”

Prosecutor Amy Nicholson added: “He ran his business passionately and it is extremely depressing to him that the results of his hard earned labour have been stolen in this aggressive way.”

McAdam, who lived a 15-minute walk from the shop in Adelaide Road, Eythorne, admitted the November robberies and asked for the May raid to be taken into consideration.

“He doesn’t look unfit to me, jumping over the counter and running around...”

Judge Rupert Lowe expressed doubt the robberies were linked to McAdam becoming unwell after watching CCTV footage.

“He doesn’t look unfit to me, jumping over the counter and running around,” he said.

“You have committed a very serious series of acts on a perfectly innocent man on a perfectly innocent business, in a perfectly innocent village,” he added.

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