POLICE are hunting a man who assaulted a Sandbach shop assistant and threatened to inject her with AIDS.

The attacker, who carried out the raid in broad daylight on Sunday lunchtime, escaped with around £200 cash from the Bargain Booze off licence in Heath Road.

Congleton CID have appealed for information from the public to help catch a six-foot tall white male in his late teens or early twenties.

A police spokesman said the man had entered the shop twice.

"He went to one of the displays, looked around and left without buying anything," he said.

"About ten minutes later he re-entered the premises and asked for change. He then became involved in a struggle with her in an attempt to take money from the till.

"At one point she was pushed backwards against the display. The male then produced a hypodermic needle and syringe, which contained a clear liquid, and threatened the assistant with it, saying he had AIDS."

The assailant was said to be of thin build, with a pale complexion and short cropped ginger hair. He had no noticeable accent and was wearing jeans, a blue cotton denim shirt with two pockets on the front and a blue and cream vertically striped T-shirt underneath.

The spokesman said the assistant was very shaken by the incident, but had now returned to work.

"It obviously distressed her and under those circumstances that's quite normal," he said.

Anyone who can help identify the attacker can contact Congleton Police on 01244 613533.

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