AN 18-YEAR-OLD Kosovan who robbed a corner shop at gunpoint has been sentenced to seven years' custody.

Renato Godo, who was masked, pointed the gun at Dilipkamar Solanki and told him: "I’ll shoot you, I’ll shoot you."

He demanded the victim fill the bag and eventually snatched about £200 plus cigarettes worth between £200- £300 before making off.

Police tracked the robber down via forensics and at Canterbury Crown Court, Godo, of Claremont Place, Canterbury, admitted robbery and possessing an imitation firearm at the time of committing the robbery.

Prosecutor David Ross said Mr Solanki was looking after the Martyrs Field General Store when Godo walked in about 9.15pm on August 8.

"He didn’t look up at first but then saw a man with a black mask holding a black pistol in one hand and an open bag in the other demanding money.

"The gun was about 10 inches long and pointing at Mr Solanki. The man said 'fill the bag up, put the money in there quick, quick',” said Mr Ross.

Mr Solanki froze initially and the man was shouting "I’ll shoot you, I’ll shoot you". He took some money from the till which was snatched from him and the robber threw the bag at him.

The gunman was still shouting for money and grabbed some cigarettes then ran out, said Mr Ross.

Police searched Godo’s premises and found the blank-firing gun hidden behind the toilet. They recovered 46 blank rounds and a pair of black tights with the legs cut off.

In interview, Godo denied robbery saying he bought the gun at a shop selling Army surplus as he was interested in guns. He hid it because he didn’t want his mother to see it.

"He couldn’t explain his fingerprints being at the shop but said he had bought some cigarettes there then handed them back because they were the wrong brand," said Mr Ross.

Godo had no criminal record, although he had two cautions for theft and criminal damage.

His counsel, John O’Higgins, said his family moved from Kosovo to the UK when he was 12 and he went to the Archbishop’s School. He did well – among references handed into the court was one from the headmaster Alasdair Hogarth – but it went wrong when Godo got involved with drugs.

In debt and under threat, Godo committed the offence with the gun he had bought earlier because he was interested in guns.

"He used it to try and get money to pay a drug dealer," said Mr O’Higgins.