A BUNGLED post office raid with a toy gun has resulted in a youth being locked up for six years.

John Hughes, 19, wearing a hoodie and a Halloween mask, tried to hold-up postmaster Alexander Milstead-Williamson at the Lower Halstow branch near Gillingham in June last year.

But his attempts were thwarted by Mr Milstead-Williamson, who at first thought the attempted robbery was a wind-up.

Maidstone Crown Court heard he ducked behind the counter, pressed the silent alarm and told Hughes not to be so stupid.

Repeated hammering on the protective glass partition did little more than crack it.

Hughes finally fled empty-handed from the post office at The Green, telling a group of youths that he had earlier boasted to about the raid that he had, in fact, “f***** it up”.

Hughes, of The Foyer, Bridge Street, Sheerness, admitted attempted robbery and possessing an imitation firearm, a flintlock pistol.

His accomplice, 23-year-old Christopher MacLean, of the same address, also admitted both charges.

Both were sentenced to five years for the attempted robbery and one year consecutive for the imitation firearm offence.

Judge Andrew Patience QC said people who work in post offices were vulnerable and entitled to the “fullest possible protection” from the courts.

“The fact remains that these offences were very serious indeed,” the judge added. “He (Mr Milstead-Williamson) was not to know whether the gun was real or imitation. The effect was terrifying and shocking.”

The court heard there were several witnesses to the bungled raid and the pair were traced through a Vauxhall Corsa parked in the nearby Three Tuns pub car park.

In the car the police found both the pistol, which could not have been fired, and the mask.

Prosecutor Ian Hope said Mr Milstead-Williamson was just about to cash up when Hughes walked in.

“He thought it was a a wind up by a local youth, but then Hughes said: “Give me the f***ing money” and produced what the postmaster believed to be a pistol, “something like what Dick Turpin would have used.”

Mr Milstead-Williamson then ducked below the counter and started pressing the alarm. Hughes continued to demand money.

“The postmaster told him not to be so stupid,” continued Mr Hope. Hughes then left for a few seconds but returned to start hammering on the partition. He eventually fled.

“This was the second time Mr Milstead-Williamson was a victim of robbery and the second time a gun had been pointed at him,” said Mr Hope. “It prompted him to consider retirement.”

Hughes, who was picked out in an identity parade by two of the youths he had spoken to outside the post office, said in a statement to the police that he was solely to blame. “Drugs were controlling my life,” he wrote.

Gordon Menzies, defending Hughes, said he was full of remorse for what was an “unsophisticated” crime. “He has the potential and motivation to change for good,” he added.

The court heard that Hughes had two previous convictions for assault causing actual bodily harm.

MacLean, the court heard, was said to have been seen by a witness to go into the post office and then return to Hughes waiting in a phone box. However, Zoe Van Den Bosch. defending, said MacLean denied going in to “case out the joint”.

The court heard that MacLean had two previous convictions for robbery, one when he was aged just 12, as well as convictions for assault and burglary.

However, Miss Van Den Bosch said MacLean’s judgement had been obscured by drugs. “He is stupid, he is immature, but is he dangerous?” she asked.

Judge Patience said there had to be lengthy sentences both to punish the defendants and to deter others.

Under new legislation Hughes and MacLean could have been sentenced to life.