By Keith Hunt

Two drug-crazed women who robbed a terrified shop assistant at knifepoint have been jailed.

Amy Friar (pictured bottom right) brandished a machete-like blade at the Co-op in Murston as Samantha Windeatt (pictured top right) helped to steal cash and cigarettes.

Shop worker Erica Blood, who was threatened with being stabbed, told later of the distressing effect the ordeal had on her.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Miss Blood was working at the till at the store in Church Road at 9.30pm on April 10 when she heard a scream and realised Friar, 23, was standing behind her.

James Bilsland, prosecuting, said Friar swore at them and ordered them to open the till, threatening "or I will cut you".

Miss Blood was very frightened as Friar was angrily waving the knife around and getting closer to her.

The victim said she could not open the till without her supervisor being present but, fearing for her safety, scanned some cigarettes so it would open. Windeatt, 30, grabbed some money. Friar also demanded cigarettes and Miss Blood told her to take some from stock used to stack the shelves. They left, telling Miss Blood: "Next time be quicker."

The shop assistant made a statement saying: "I felt sick that this happened and I am still in shock." She added she was now nervous about working alone.

Windeatt, of Grovehurst Road, Kemsley, and Friar, of Oak Road, Murston, admitted robbery and two charges of theft from the Co-op in Milton and Asda in Mill Way. Windeatt also admitted affray.

While stealing shopping worth £127 from Asda on March 16, Windeatt struggled with a security guard and produced a syringe. Windeatt claimed it was a pen.

Because of her threats, the guard let her go. When she saw Friar had been stopped nearby, she ran across waving the syringe.

The theft from the Co-op in Milton involved meat worth £31.Windeatt and Friar held hands as Judge David Griffith-Jones QC told them: "The whole experience for your unfortunate victim was inevitably going to be a terrifying one."

They were jailed for two years and eight months. Just over three months spent in custody on remand will count towards the sentence.