April 4, 2001 9:35: A Thornton Heath teenager who held post office workers hostage with a fake pistol was last week sentenced to 12 years in prison at Southwark Crown Court.

Builder Michael Delopp, 19, of Boswell Road, was just 18 and masked when he and an unknown accomplice held up a post office in Mitcham on October 5 last year, but they fled empty-handed after pointing the gun against a customer's head.

Three hours later, the two struck again at another post office in Hayes, Bromley, where this time they escaped with £3,025 after Delopp threatened to kill a member of staff.

He tried to pin the crime on a man living in Long Lane, Croydon, where £1,250 was found and a getaway car parked outside.

Commenting on the attack on the customer, Judge Paul Focke, QC, said: "He, of course, could not know exactly what you were doing with the gun but, what is plain, is the next thing he heard was a click.

"It must have been a most terrifying experience for him because immediately afterwards you pointed it at the ceiling and succeeded in firing it and it discharged a blank cartridge."

By.Court Reporter