A MAN who 'terrified' staff at a West Somerset Co-operative store as he robbed them at knife-point will have to wait to be sentenced.

Michael Bright, of Dulverton, was charged with armed robbery after he entered the Co-op store on Fore Street, Dulverton at around 10.30pm on July 8 and threatened staff with knife while demanding money from the till.

At a hearing at Taunton Crown Court on Wednesday (September 26) prosecuting, Emma Martin, told the court when Bright initially started threatening a store worker she thought it was a joke until she saw he was holding a small kitchen knife.

"She thought it was terrifying," Mrs Martin said.

"She had taken some money out of the till but her colleague, Rachel White, heard her and said: 'What is going on?"

The court heard Bright had been banned from the shop and was pointing a 7 centimetre long kitchen knife at the time of the incident.

The worker handed the defendant a bunch of money and told him the other tills were empty but Bright insisted they open them so he could see it for himself.

"He then asked for coins from the till and asked Rachel 'do you know who I am?' and she replied and said she did," Mrs Martin said.

"He said: 'I know I am a c***, I know I am going to mess up my life doing this as I am mental and I am a c***.'"

Mrs Martin said Bright then asked for cigarettes which Ms White gave him and said she told him to leave as he had had enough.

The defendant then asked if staff wanted his address and Ms White replied: "No, the police will have it."

When police arrived at Bright's property later that evening they found pockets full of bank notes and a packet of Lambert and Butler cigarettes and officers were forced to use a Taser to ensure he would not abscond.

The court heard in a police interview on July 9 Bright said he had no recollection of the incident and said he had been taking prescribed medication and drinking alcohol.

Judge David Ticehurst, said: "Anyone would be terrified. It is almost as if he wanted to get caught."

Defending Harry Ahuja told the court Bright suffers from emotional unstable personality disorder and said he was taking prescription medication at the time of the incident but had continued to struggle with his mental health.

The court heard Bright was sectioned in January due to his poor mental health and Mr Ahuja said the robbery was 'somewhat a cry for help'.

"Ms White has been very fair in her statement, she said if he had not been holding the knife she would have tried to talk to him," Mr Ahuja said.

Mr Ahuja said Bright has experience of working with mental health professionals in the community and urged Judge Ticehurst to give him the chance to have rehabilitation in the community.

But Judge Ticehurst, said: "No, either he is mentally ill and needs to be looked after or he is going to prison."

Judge Ticehurst adjourned the case until November 12 so a psychiatric report can be prepared.

Bright will remain in custody.