A masked robber who smashed into the cashbox in a payphone just weeks after getting out on early release from prison is back behind bars.

Steven Ross returned to using heroin within days of being freed from a 40 month jail term imposed after he held up a bookmaker using part of a chair hidden in a bin bag.

And just over three weeks later he and a friend were spotted on CCTV smashing into the phone kiosk in Havelock Street.

Although magistrates jailed him for 14 weeks the 43-year-old launched an appeal against the sentence, even though he has done most of his time inside.

But Judge Robert Pawson, sitting at Swindon Crown Court with two magistrates, threw out his appeal pointing to his history of more than 100 offences.

Ross had been jailed for three years and four months in March 2016 after he admitted carrying out the hold up at BetFred on Devizes Road.

Wearing a mask over his face and brandishing the arm of a chair wrapped in an bin bag, he walked into the bookie's on a Saturday afternoon and threatened the cashier.

He thrust an Aldi carrier bag across the counter saying 'This is a robbery: put all the money in the f***ing bag. I'm not messing about,' then fled with the cash.

The court heard he was released from prison at the half way point of the sentence, getting out on November 2 last year.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, said on Sunday November 26 he and a mate were spotted smashing into the cashbox using a piece of wood, or metal, making off with £277.31p.

When he was arrested a few days later he refused to answer questions but admitted theft when he appeared before magistrates, receiving the jail term on December 20.

Ross, of no fixed abode, admitted theft. The court heard he had 111 previous convictions including numerous burglaries as well as the robbery.

Emma Handslip, defending, said his accomplice was dealt with at a different hearing and was given a suspended sentence.

She said that although her client only had three weeks left to serve he was still challenging the jail term as being too long.

Although he is on early release licence she said the probation service had not sought to return him to prison for breaching its conditions.

He is now on methadone, she said, and needed support in the community which could be provided under a suspended sentence.

Dismissing the appeal the judge said "We have listened very carefully to what was said on your behalf by Miss Handslip, if I may say very persuasively. We are not going to allow your appeal."

In 2012 Ross spoke to the Adver from his hospital bed after nearly being killed by a legal high.

At the time he said “If I don’t give up I am going to die as well. But when something like this happens to you, it opens your eyes.”