AN armed robber pointed a gun in the faces of his victims including a sick woman who was afraid she was going to die.

Adam Merry is now behind bars after admitting a litany of offences in Evesham and Worcester, pointing an imitation firearm at a driver, his passenger, a neighbour who was in the process of calling police and his wife who has a serious heart condition.

The 27-year-old of Fairfield Road, Evesham, admitted robbery and possession of an imitation firearm in Fairfield Road, Evesham on April 20 this year.

He further admitted possession of a bladed article and causing racially aggravated fear of violence and theft of a bottle of wine following an incident at the Co-op in Lichfield Avenue, Ronkswood, Worcester on September 7 last year.

Merry was also in breach of a community order imposed for possession of an offensive weapon after failing to attend a ‘building better relationships’ course and of a suspended sentence order of six weeks in prison (suspended for six months) imposed for assaulting a police officer by spitting in his face.

John Brotherton, prosecuting, said a driver was sitting in his car in Evesham when Merry approached him carrying an imitation firearm.

He said: “He looked up to see the defendant standing at his driver’s window holding a gun to his face from a distance of around one foot. He could smell alcohol on the defendant and took the gun to be real.”

Merry said to the driver ‘give me everything you’ve got’ to which he relied did not have anything. He stole some Armani jeans worth £200. Two friends of the driver arrived, of whom was 15 years old. While sitting in the front passenger seat Merry pointed the gun at one of the driver’s friends and said: “Look at this. I could have taken this kid’s car.”

When the friends got out Merry ordered the driver to take him to his house in Fairfield Road. When a family at a neighbouring house heard there was a gun children were ushered inside.

Six children had been in a nearby garden, aged between two and 11, when Merry arrived.

Ian Rock called the police on his phone only for Merry to point the gun at him but Mr Rock took hold of the weapon and pointed it skyward. Merry backed away and pointed the gun at Mr Rock again who remained on the telephone to police.

As Mr Rock walked towards Merry he backed away. Merry called Mr Rock ‘a grass’ to which he replied: “Yeah. I am. So what?”

His wife Michelle Rock, diagnosed with a heart condition in 2017, became unwell.

Mr Brotherton said: “She was upstairs shaking and hysterical through fear.”

She had seen Merry outside the window of her living room, waving the gun in the air and shouting: “I will show you.”

Mrs Rock suffered a panic attack. “She believed she was about to die” said Mr Brotherton.

Mrs Rock described Merry pointing the gun towards her face. She said of Merry: “He looked wired, as if he was on drugs.”

Armed officers arrested Merry in the back garden.

The entire incident lasted about half an hour. The gun, said to be a BB gun, was not recovered.

During the incident at the Co-op in Worcester he stole a bottle of wine and was observed doing so by security guard Adam Jbili on the store’s CCTV.

When the security guard challenged Merry he used racially abusive language, put his hand in his pocket and threatened Mr Jbili . Though the blade, a Stanley knife, was not produced it was found on him when he was arrested and taken to Worcester Police Station.

Merry has previous convictions for wounding, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, battery, threatening behaviour and racially aggravated harassment.

Jason Patel, defending, said: “There are a number of certificates here which, in essence, show good progress in custody.”

He said Merry was due to become a father next month.

Mr Patel said of the incident involving the imitation firearm: “His actions are horrendous and horrific to those individuals concerned.”

He asked the judge to take into account the time Merry had spent in custody as well as 223 days on a an electronically monitored curfew and to bear in mind the principle of totality.

Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC jailed Merry for five years.

He did not impose an extended sentence because, although the probation service had identified Merry as dangerous (‘posing a significant risk of serious harm’) the psychiatrist had indicated he could be managed within the community.

He also made a restraining order for 10 years which prevents Merry having any contact with Mr and Mrs Rock.

Merry must also pay a £170 surcharge.