A clumsy robber dropped the key to his getaway car and had to flee on foot after a terrifying knifepoint raid on a security guard.

Police recovered the key and found the car nearby. Inside was a stolen cashbox containing £20,000 and the knife used in the raid.

DNA on the knife, steering wheel and gear stick led officers to the culprit, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

Michael Lundon still maintained his innocence but a jury convicted him of robbery and possessing a blade yesterday and he was jailed for eight years.

The 40-year-old drug addict pounced on Loomis employee Gary Freeguard as he and a colleague were transferring cash from their van to an ATM at a One Stop shop in Otford on January 2.

The jury heard Mr Freeguard was so badly affected by the experience he had been in “floods of tears” and not yet returned to work.

"It is horrible and frightening and it is the sort of thing courts have to discourage" - Judge Philip Statman

He was making his second run to the vault at the Sevenoaks Road store with the casette containing £20,000 when he was knocked sideways by a kick.

Mr Freeguard turned around to see a man looking nervous and waving around a knife with an eight to 10-inch blade.

“In fear, he placed the cashbox on the ground and took a step back,” said prosecutor Martin Yale. “Mr Lundon moved towards him and took the cashbox. He ran off towards the back of the shops.”

Officers searched the area and found the Ford Fiesta. The cashbox was under a blanket on the passenger seat and the knife was in the door on the driver’s side.

Lundon, of Upper Pitt Street, Liverpool, was identified also from CCTV coverage.

A judge praised officers for spotting from the coverage that the robber dropped the car key has he fled.

It was also discovered from automatic number plate recognition cameras that the Fiesta had been driven in convoy with a Mercedes in the area.

Lundon was arrested the next day while a passenger in the Mercedes travelling on the M42 to Liverpool.

He admitted having been in Kent but denied involvement in the robbery. He claimed his car had been stolen.

Judge Philip Statman said following conviction: “What troubles me more than anything is what we have seen on the DVD.

“Mr Lundon comes at this security guard who is going about his law-abiding business performing a difficult role in the community transferring cash and he is wielding this ugly blade at him.

“It is horrible and frightening and it is the sort of thing courts have to discourage.”

He told Lundon: “I have no doubt this was a planned robbery. You have been using Class A drugs including cocaine, a highly addictive substance, and MDMA.

“In this case there were rich pickings to be had. You took the chance and lost. I find serious psychological harm has been caused to your victim.”