A man who was chased out of a Sandys store by its axe-wielding owner has pleaded guilty to attempted robbery.

Stevon Swan-Richardson, 30, admitted trying to steal an unknown amount of cash from Michael Forde, owner of Bargain Hunters, when he appeared in Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Prosecutor Carrington Mahoney said that Swan-Richardson, from Sandys, entered the store on Somerset Road on December 31 and ordered Mr Forde to fill a bag with cash.

He pointed another bag containing a “firearm-shaped object” at Mr Forde.

Mr Forde told The Royal Gazette that he locked the cash register, hid the key away and brandished an axe during the incident.

“That’s when he changed his mind,” he said. “I’m not saying we can’t be robbed, but they’re not getting our money, and that’s the bottom line.”

Swan-Richardson headed to a nearby nature trail after the attempted robbery.

DNA found on the bag, which was seized by police, matched Swan-Richardson’s, who was arrested for the offence on Thursday.

When questioned, Swan-Richardson told officers he wanted the money to “pay for a hotel room on New Year’s Eve”.

Senior magistrate Maxanne Anderson asked Swan-Richardson if he had a problem with substance abuse, to which he responded: “No, I have a problem with money ― I love it”.

Ms Anderson ordered that social inquiry and drug use reports be written for Swan-Richardson.

She adjourned the case to November 3 for sentencing and remanded him into custody until that time.

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