A MAN who was accused of robbing a convenience store a knifepoint has had the charges dropped on the day of trial.

Jason Harper had been said to have been the masked man who carried out a raid at Costcutter, in Cheney Manor Road, on Saturday, December 3.

But the 30-year-old always denied the offence saying it was a case of mistaken identity.

And before a jury could be sworn in on the first day of a trial at Swindon Crown Court prosecutors offered no evidence.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, said the case had relied on identification evidence which was 'always difficult'.

She said the 'final nail in the case' came when a forensic report found the trousers seized by the police could not be linked to the raid.

It had been alleged that a bike used for the getaway had Harper's DNA on it, but he always accepted it was his and had been stolen days earlier.

Prosecutors also alleged that the robber had a distinctive nose, which they would have said matched Harper's.

After the Crown offered no evidence on charges of robbery and possessing a bladed article Judge Robert Pawson entered formal not guilty verdicts.

It is alleged a white man, wearing a face covering, camouflage trousers and a parka coat, entered the store at about 5.30pm on the Saturday afternoon in December.

After brandishing a knife towards the cashier the robber demanded she open the till and give him its contents, pushing another customer out of the way.

He then fled with about £700 in cash, getting on a bicycle which had been left outside the shop.