A MAN who robbed two sandwich shops and burgled a barber has been remanded in custody by a judge.

Sean Porter admitted raiding Subway in Chippenham town centre on the evening of Monday January 22 when he appeared at Swindon Crown Court.

And the 40-year-old also held up the Cirencester branch of the eatery two days earlier when a man with an axe was seen carrying out the robbery.

Porter, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, burgling a barber in Swindon, and aggravated taking without consent in Gloucester.

He pleaded not guilty to robbery at the Devizes branch of Subway on Sunday January 7 and prosecutors are considering whether to seek a trial.

Recorder Jane Rowley adjourned the case to Thursday June 21 and remanded Porter, who appeared in court by videolink, in custody until then.

The robber walked through the back door of shop on The Bridge, Chippenham, at around 8.30pm and ordered a female member of staff to open the safe till.

His face was covered up to his nose, with a hat pulled down to the top of his eyes, and he was dressed in all black with black gloves and sand-coloured work-style boots.

After taking a quantity of cash he placed it in a black and red laptop-style bag before leaving by the same rear door.

It is thought he was heard speaking to an accomplice outside and they both got into a vehicle and drove off.

At about the same time two days earlier an axe wielding robber raided the Subway in Brewery Court, Cirencester.

After threatening staff with the weapon the man, wearing a beanie had and scarf pulled up over his mouth, made off with cash.