A MAN was jailed for seven years yesterday for two armed raids which brought terror to his victims.

Steven Clarke admitted that on November 2 last year at Alldays Supermarket, Wilson Avenue, Kirkcaldy, Fife, with his face masked, and while acting with another man, he assaulted employee Elizabeth Hill, 48, and robbed her of #823.

He also pleaded guilty to forcing his way into the home of 68-year-old James Leggate at Easter Balbeggie Farm, Thornton, Fife, on December 2, again while acting with an accomplice.

Mr Alan Dewar, advocate-depute, told the High Court in Edinburgh that the first incident happened in the early hours when Mrs Hill was opening the shop. Clarke, who was with an accomplice wielding an iron bar, was carrying a 12-inch kitchen knife which he pointed at the terrified woman. He told her she would not be hurt, but demanded cash.

Mrs Hill told the men that there was money in a safe in the back office and was told to open it and put the money in a carrier bag. Clarke and his accomplice then left the shop through the back door.

Mr Dewar added: ''Terrified, she stood frozen to the spot for several minutes then ran out of the front door to a neighbouring shop where the police were telephoned.''

The second robbery took place a month later when Clarke and another man knocked on Mr Leggate's front door and then burst in as the pensioner opened it slightly.

This time it was Clarke who had an iron bar, but he took a back seat while his accomplice, who was wielding a pick-axe handle, made it clear to the farmer that they wanted money. The accomplice knocked Mr Leggate to the ground, repeatedly demanded money and guns and robbed him of a shotgun, cartridges and #800.

Mr Leggate, an asthma sufferer, managed to raise the alarm and had to be given oxygen when an ambulance arrived.

Clarke was later detained and admitted both offences.

Mr James Keegan, solicitor advocate for Clarke, of St Kilda Crescent, Kirkcaldy, said his client, who is diabetic, had helped police catch the other men involved in the robberies and had indicated he would give evidence against them.

Lord Cullen, the Lord Justice- Clerk, told Clarke that the court took an extremely serious view of armed robbery, but he took into account his guilty plea and the fact that he had co-operated with police about the other men involved.