A HEROIN-addicted sex offender who threatened a pregnant shop worker with a knife in a terrifying robbery has been given an indefinite hospital order.

Judge Simon Medland QC praised the “abnormal fortitude” displayed by store assistant Amanda Malkin in trying to stop knife-wielding Justin Paul Hanson robbing the One Stop in Accrington late last year.

Prosecuting, Stephen Parker said Ms Malkin was 20 weeks pregnant at the time of the incident and took only one day off work to recover from her ordeal.

Praising the resilience displayed by Ms Malkin, Judge Medland said: “It was clearly a frightening episode in which a heavily pregnant woman was confronted by a persistent robber with a sharp carving knife. She displayed large stoicism which was deeply, deeply impressive.”

Opening the prosecution’s case, Mr Parker said the robbery came just days after Hanson had “kicked off” at his parents’ house, a property he was banned from.

Hanson ended up being arrested as a result of that Boxing Day visit after he took a large carving knife from the kitchen and “began waving it around in the street”.

Mr Parker said it was that same knife that 33-year-old Hanson used in the robbery, which took place at 9am on December 29.

The court heard Ms Malkin was on the shop floor and her colleague Adele Hales was in a back room when Hanson entered the store on Blackburn Road.

Mr Parker said Ms Malkin wasn’t overly concerned when Hanson, who had his hood up and a scarf covering his face, reached towards his waste and went to remove something from his pocket. Initially thinking it would be a gas or phone card, it was only when Hanson raised his hand that Ms Malkin realised he was armed with a knife.

Waving the knife over the counter towards Ms Malkin, Hanson said: “Do you think I’m messing? Give me the money out of the till.”

The court heard around that time Ms Hales came out of the back room and joined Ms Malkin behind the counter.

Mr Parker said that in an attempt to stall Hanson, Ms Malkin said she couldn’t open the till unless a sale was made.

In response Hanson threw a packet of sweets at her and said: “Now serve me those.”

After waving the knife towards the two shop assistants, Hanson said: “Just give me the f****** money.”

Mr Parker said that at that stage Ms Hales was keen for her colleague “not to be the hero” and so agreed to open her till.

Hanson filled his pockets with cash and took the tray of change from Ms Malkin’s till.

Mr Parker said the police were called. PC Martin Kavanagh linked the robbery to the incident at Hanson’s parents’ house which he had been made aware of a few days earlier.

When police went to a property linked to Hanson they found him trying to hide in a bed. Clothing fitting the description of what the One Stop robber was wearing was also recovered, as well as the knife and £400 cash in note and coin form.

Hanson, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to robbery and possessing an article with a blade or point.

Mr Parker said Hanson has 24 convictions for 36 offences, including sex offences and an arson in 2006.

The court heard that Hanson has been diagnosed as being bipolar and a paranoid schizophrenic. But his father said those conditions had been exacerbated by heroin use. Two psychiatrists will have to agree Hanson no longer poses a risk to the public before he is considered for parole.