Three years in jail was the sentence for John Philip Osborne, 34, of Townstal, Dartmouth, who was convicted of robbery at Exeter Crown Court on Monday, October, 9.

A second offence for possession of a knife will remain on file and can be taken into account at a later date.

John Osborne robbed the post office in Kingswear at knife point in the afternoon of Thursday, September 7. He made off on foot and an extensive search followed with police using a dog, armed response officers and a police helicopter.

After making his way across the Dart and into Dartmouth, police vehicles surrounded the Seale Arms, a public house on Victoria Road in Dartmouth. Osborne soon left the pub, running up Victoria Road towards Anzac Street and was arrested at the junction of Anzac Street and Victoria Road.

Jason and Jo Byrne who run the Kingswear post office located next to the Lower Ferry slip, told what happened during the robbery. Jason said: “He was a well known customer of ours, a druggie. He had been a customer for a long time. He wouldn’t say much but always paid for what he bought.

“He just came in, acted weird, looking at the fridge, not opening it, just staring in. He the moved to the freezer, just staring at that and made no attempt to open it. He then moved to the magazines which we know he would never buy and then the chocolates. This took between five and 10 minutes, so I asked him: 'Are you okay?'

“He said: 'I’m fine, just looking.' He then picked up an energy drink and paid for it. I had to give him change. He took it and was fumbling to put it back in his pockets but also trying to find his knife so he produce it quickly I suppose.

“He pulled it out and told me to get back. All I could think at the time was: 'I know you, I know who you are.' He lifted the counter and must have used some force because it lifted the hinges out and the whole thing and everything on it, fell on the floor.

“Instinctively, I stepped back and went into the post office [a large glazed cubicle covering half the counter space] and that door locks instantly. I thought to myself: 'Now Jo and I are locked in here,' but, of course, I had my keys with me, so we could get out.

“He went to the till and took £20 and £10 notes. I was watching with my wife in the post office. I was thinking: 'I could be out there stopping him; he had put his knife away' but then my wife hit the panic button and he left. I felt safe to come out.

“I went outside and some passersby said: 'Are you after a young man? He’s gone through there [the archway next to the post office] and up Alma Steps'. I met my landlord, Richard Stone, in the archway and asked him if he would come with me, and I explained what had happened as we went up the steps to find out which way he went and pick up any money he dropped.

“By the time we reached the top of the steps, I saw the police helicopter overhead and a police car speeding down Church Hill. Their response was so fast. Then I went along Beacon Road to see if I could tell if he had gone that way but some builders told me he had not come that way. So, I went in the opposite direction but saw he didn’t go into the church, St Thomas of Canterbury, as there were people there. "He wouldn’t have gone up Church Hill as it was too steep. So he either went down Church Hill or Higher Street past the Ship to Fore Street and, it turns out, made his way along the foot path to the Higher Ferry.

“I was not worried, probably because I knew him and his friend, who he always hung around with, who is the son of a man who people know. All I had to do was go to the men on the Lower Ferry and tell them that and they would tell me his name. I did this and they gave me his name.

“I had to go into the ferry office and give a statement to the police. I was doing this when our local postman came in. He asked: 'What’s happening?' and when I told him, he said: 'He just walked into the Seale Arms!' The police took their car and got straight onto the ferry; they have priority. They radioed ahead for another car to go around the back of the pub.

“Apparently, the police came in the font of the pub and he went out the back but only got as far as Foss Street before he was arrested. He still had the knife on him and the money, apart from £20 he used for drinks at the pub. He even had the energy drink on him.”