A HEROIN addict was today starting eight years jail after admitting carrying out armed raids at two York betting shops.

The robber, 24-year-old Clifford William McDermid, had a nervous few seconds while York Crown Court determined whether he should get life.

It was thought that because McDermid had a recent previous conviction for robbery, which was complete only weeks before the two armed robberies, he qualified for an automatic life sentence.

But because he committed the previous robbery without a weapon, he escaped the maximum.

Instead, he got five years for robbing £300 from the South Bank bookmakers, in Albemarle Road, and five years for robbing £600 from a betting shop in Bright Street.

Both offences were committed on October 25 last year, and the sentences will run concurrently.

He was then given three years for possessing a handgun, to run consecutively.

The court was told the gun was a gas-powered weapon which fired ball-bearings, and was loaded at the time.

He was also banned from driving for a year and ordered to take a re-test for driving while disqualified and dangerous driving on October 26.

Khadim Al-Hassan, prosecuting, told the court: "The defendant was in the South Bank bookmakers. He approached Mr Taylor, who was working behind the counter, as if he was about to place a bet.

"To Mr Taylor's horror, he produced a silvery gun and said 'get me the ****ing money'.

"He was handed a bag containing notes, but then put the gun nearer Mr Taylor's chest and said 'get me the ****ing rest'."

Mr Al-Hassan said "a number of hours later" McDermid, no fixed address, went to the second bookies, where he again threatened the member of staff twice and two customers on his way out.

Howard Crowson, for McDermid, said of his client: "He has now reached the point where he has to change or he will spend the rest of his life in custody. The hope for the future is he is not too old to change."

Jailing McDermid, Judge Paul Hoffman told him: "You had just finished your previous robbery sentence when you committed this spree, which takes you into the big league.

"You terrorised the bookmakers and customers with a realistic looking weapon made to instil fear."

Updated: 12:05 Saturday, January 12, 2002