A SHOP assistant who was threatened at knifepoint by a drug crazed robber has spoken of his relief after his attacker was jailed for life.

Shanmuganathan Umesh was working at Hainault Food and Wine in New North Road in Hainault on the evening of May 7 when knife-wielding heroin addict Ian Edwards forced his way behind the counter.

Edwards, 45, of no fixed address, was chased out of the shop by Mr Umesh’s colleagues who ran out of the shop’s back room after hearing the noise.

It was one of seven violent robberies committed by Edwards during a 13-day crime spree in the Hainault, Hornchurch and Rainham areas fuelled by his need to pay for his heroin habit.

In another of his attacks he dragged a frail pensioner across the floor of a Rainham newsagent threatening to kill her unless she emptied the till.

Last Friday, at the Old Bailey, he was jailed for life with the judge ordering he serve a minimum of 12 years.

Mr Umesh said: “It is good news that this man has been sent to prison.

“But I am still scared that he or someone else might come back.”

And he revealed he had been the victim of another terrifying attempt to rob the shop.

He said: “Someone tried to rob me at gunpoint a few months ago.

“After what happened before, it terrified me.

“The police asked me to do something for Crimewatch about it, but I don’t want anyone to see my face because I am scared of what might happen.

“Of course it has affected me, but I have not had any counselling and I will carry on working because I have to.”