A MASKED thug who robbed a woman at knifepoint and then shouted at her because she only had £2 in her purse was jailed for 63 months.

James McGuire, 40, threatened his terrified victim with a knife and grabbed her purse containing the cash, a number of store cards and her driving licence.

After rifling through the contents and finding only £2 in cash, McGuire told her: “You're a f***ing joker,” before making off.

At the High Court in Glasgow judge Lord Mulholland told McGuire that his behaviour was”despicable,” and added: “This must have been a terrifying ordeal for your victim.”

He ordered McGuire to be monitored in the community for four years after his release from jail.

McGuire admitted the assault and robbery which took place at 11.10pm on February 13, at a bus stop in Chalmers Street, Clydebank.

His defence QC Thomas Ross said: “He is ashamed of his actions. He finds it very hard to accept that he would have deliberately targeted a lone female. He says his own mother was the victim of a similar street robbery some time before and he is upset about this. His previous offending was robbing shops. He has no memory of this incident."

This is McGuire sixth High Court conviction for robbery.

The woman was waiting for a bus when McGuire, who was dressed all in black, approached her.

He said: 'Give me your bag' and the woman replied that she did not have a bag only a purse and a plastic bag.

McGuire pulled out a silver kitchen knife and then rummaged through the plastic bag and her purse.

As a bus pulled into the stop McGuire left, but not before asking his victim if she was 'a f***ing joker.'

He was later stopped by police as he made his way along Kilbowie Road, Clydebank.

He had the woman's purse and her driving licence in his pockets. He also had a knife down the back of his boxer shorts.