A hammer-wielding man who held up a Sayers bakery has been jailed.
Stephen Maguire threatened staff inside the Speke Road branch with the weapon on Christmas Eve 2017 before making off with a quantity of cash.
The 49-year-old was arrested in Cheshire on December 8, 2020, three years after he committed the midday crime at the Hunts Cross store.
Maguire, from Speke, was sentenced to five years and five months behind bars when the case was heard at Liverpool Crown Court last week.
A personal statement from one of the victims said that they had been ‘changed as a person’ by the terrifying nature of Maguire’s robbery.
Another detailed how the ordeal forced left them scared by noises en route to work and had to change jobs for fear of working at the same location.
Detective Inspector Graeme Osborne said: “This incident caused great concern within the local community and it’s pleasing to see that Maguire has now rightly been jailed for a significant amount of time.
“He had no regard for the victims he threatened, and the incident has had a devastating impact on them both.
“I hope Maguire’s sentencing allows them some closure and peace, as they continue to move forward with their lives.
“We will not tolerate individuals that think targeting people and businesses in this way is acceptable and are committed to pursuing these offenders and putting them before the courts.
“If you have information on any other incidents, please come forward so we can take action.”
Anyone with information about crime in their local area is urged to call 999 in an emergency and to pass on information via @MerPol, ring 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.