A gormless gambler tried to hold up a storekeeper when his luck with lottery scratchcards ran out.

Drunken James Gibson had gone to the All-In-One Store in Forge Lane, Gillingham , with pal Jamie Rustage on March 8 - and initially had success gambling.

Prosecutor John Fitzgerald told Maidstone Crown Court: "They were the worse for wear and buying Desperados - a toxic mix of beer and tequila.

"They were buying scratchcards and scratching them off, sometimes winning and losing sometimes.

"Gibson decided he wanted the money that was in the till."

The 23-year-old then showed shopkeeper Edward Kennedy the top of a knife hidden under his jacket.

"It would seem Gibson had lost too much money and rather than using the odds of the lottery, he decided he would steal from Mr Kennedy instead, " added the prosecutor.

Gibson didn't raise his voice and remained calm but showed the sheath containing the knife and was "threatening and aggressive", telling the frightened shopkeeper: "Do you know what I have got here? I've got a knife."

Mr Kennedy three times refused to hand over money and Rustage then pulled his pal away - but only after bizarrely asking if he could charge his phone.

The prosecutor added: "Then cheekily they asked Mr Kennedy to call a taxi for them."

Now Gibson, of Upper Maze Hill, St Leonards, Sussex, has been banned from going to the store for 10 years.

He was also jailed for a total of 72 months after admitting attempted robbery.

After the incident, the two men went to the Honourable Pilot Pub in Will Adams Way, Gillingham .

Mr Fitzgerald said Rustage picked a fight with customer Perry Arnold who was having a meal with his family and a friend.

At 7.15pm, Mr Arnold went outside to have a cigarette when he was confronted by father-of-two Rustage, who he later described as "totally drunk".

The victim told him to "leave it out, you crackhead" and Rustage, who was "spoiling for a fight", took exception and began throwing punches, which missed because he was so drunk.

The prosecutor said it was then Gibson joined the fight and stabbed Mr Arnold in the hip causing a 1.5in wound and Rustage then managed to land a blow to his victim's face.

He told the victim: "I am going to ****** stab you up."

The two "thugs" then walked away as Mr Arnold felt blood and was taken to a London hospital for treatment.

Gibson also admitted wounding Mr Arnold with intent and possessing a knife in public.

Rustage, 29, of Beatty Avenue, Gillingham , was jailed for four months after pleading guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm.

Judge Tony Baumgartner told them their behaviour had been "thuggish" after hearing how the pub attack had been carried out in the presence of children.

"Mr Arnold told you he wanted no trouble and he called you a crackhead which angered you."

The judge told them: "You both then cowardly made off, with Gibson still holding the knife. "Your behaviour can only be described as thuggish."

Speaking after sentencing, shopkeeper Mr Kennedy, who had been running the off licence for just under three years, says there is "always trouble" but he has never encountered an incident like this.

"It happened in the evening," he said.

"Your behaviour can only be described as thuggish..."

"They were drunk. Even though they were drunk they should know what they are doing."

The store owner says fortunately for him he was accompanied by three customers at the time of the attempted robbery and he quickly phoned the police after they left.

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