A robber who elbowed a cashier in the face at a Bristol amusement arcade and stole cash was yesterday jailed for 21 months.

Jamie Ogborne was at the arcade in Kingswood when he turned violent after being asked to leave.

The 28-year-old, of Caldicot Close, Willsbridge, Bristol, got into a fight with a machine maintenance man during which his jacket was apparently ripped.

He then grabbed £121, which he later claimed was to pay for the damage, and ran off. He was arrested and pleaded guilty to robbery.

Mark Hollier, prosecuting at Bristol Crown Court, said Ogborne was at the Festival Leisure arcade in Regent Street, on January 16.

He said the defendant was talking to youths and was asked to leave by machine fixer Ben Whelan because the company doesn't like youths congregating there.

Mr Hollier said the defendant shoved Mr Whelan who shoved him back and the two then had a fight.

He said: "The cashier, Jeanette Mallett, rushed over to help. Other customers pulled the defendant off Mr Whelan. The defendant shouted 'I'm going to rob you' and went into the cashier's booth.

"He elbowed Jeanette Mallett in the face. He snatched £121 and ran off. He was arrested."

In police interview Ogborne accepted he had had a fight with Mr Whelan and said he took the money as his jacket had been damaged.

Jonathan Stanniland, defending, said the theft had been provoked by anger and had not been planned.

Jailing Ogborne for 21 months, Judge Simon Darwall-Smith said: "You have an appalling record that does contain many offences of dishonesty and some of violence and both of those ingredients are constituents in the offence of robbery.

"This was a brazen robbery on a woman eventually, a cashier, for which an immediate custodial sentence is the only justifiable disposal."