A teenager who robbed a shop with an air pistol has been jailed for more than five years.

Zachary Gaffey was snared after his fingerprints were found on a pack of cigarettes he had stolen from the store and dropped while fleeing officers.

Gaffey, 18, from Salford, was found guilty of robbery following a trial at Minshull Street Crown Court and was jailed for five years and four months.

He robbed the BT News and Mini Market in Salford on July 16, last year.

Who else has been locked up in March? Sentences and photogallery

Gaffey burst in brandishing a gun at around 3.10pm and demanded money from the till, before holding the weapon to the shop assistant's head.

The victim was bundled into a back room and was forced to hand over his mobile phone so he could not call for help.

A few minutes later, the assistant opened the door to find the two offenders had fled and he rang 999.

Minutes later, an officer on patrol spotted a man carrying a large black holdall on Goodiers Drive and when he saw police he ran, dropping the bag.

The bag contained a black Webley Nemesis air pistol, cigarettes, two mobile phones and a laptop computer.

Fingerprint impressions were taken from the cigarettes and were found to match Gaffey's.

He was later arrested and charged.

Gaffey, of Cyprus Close, Pendleton, was also sentenced to 12 months for an unconnected burglary, and 12 months for two breaches of an anti-social behaviour order, all to run concurrently.

Detective Constable Rachel Smith, of Swinton CID, said: "Replica guns like the one used are almost indistinguishable from a 'real' gun, and whether genuine or fake the fear they cause is very real.

"Criminals like Gaffey prey upon innocent people but our officers will relentlessly pursue them and put them behind bars.”

Who else has been locked up in March? Sentences and photogallery