A ROBBER has been jailed for three years after a court heard he made off with £1,000 from a building society.

Mark Pentony handed over a note reading 'I need £1,000' after telling staff at the Chippenham branch of the Britannia that it was a hold up.

And when the 32-year-old was caught, soon after, he said to police, 'What would you do if you had been on the streets for three years?'

Nick Hawkins, prosecuting, said Pentony went into the building society in the town's Market Place shortly after 11.30am on November 22 last year.

Making no attempt to conceal his identity he said the robber went to the counter and handed a note saying 'Please don't sound the alarm, I need £1,000'.

Mr Hawkins said that the woman behind the counter could not see the man's hands and though she wasn't frightened for herself, just for the safety of a customer, she handed over the money.

The police were told about the raid and the robber was spotted soon after in Greenway Lane.

At an earlier hearing Pentony, who has a couple of minor convictions from more than a decade ago and is of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to robbery.

Jailing him Judge John McNaught said "You are not the usual bank robber. You were down on your luck, cold and hungry so you took this extraordinary step.

"I think it has got to be a sentence of imprisonment and a substantial one."