A MAN who robbed a post office after grabbing a customer and brandishing a knife was jailed for three-and-a-half years yesterday.

Daniel Charlton, 22, of Burdon Crescent, Seaham, east Durham, admitted a charge of robbery at Teesside Crown Court yesterday.

Andrew Wilson, 25, of Woodlands, Seaham, admitted assisting an offender and handling stolen goods.

He was sentenced to 180 hours' community service and was given a conditional discharge for two years.

Yunus Valli, prosecuting, said that on October 13, Charlton entered the post office in Crescent Road, Middlesbrough, grabbed a female customer and held a knife near her chest.

He demanded money, before making off with £60 and getting into a car driven by Wilson, which had been parked nearby.

Mr Valli said Charlton gave Wilson £5 for petrol with money from the post office.

Andrew Finlay, mitigating for Wilson, said his client had been a drug user, and that the pair had gone to Middlesbrough to buy drugs. He said Wilson had now put that behind him.

Tony Calloway, mitigating for Charlton, said his client had made full admissions, came from a good family and had taken steps to beat his drug addiction.