EDMONTON - Edmonton drug addict Gregory Severight robbed two city pharmacies at knifepoint, but ended up with nothing more than a punch in the head and a pair of handcuffs.

And, to top it all off, on Wednesday in provincial court he was handed a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of armed robbery.

Court heard Severight, 34, went into the Rexall Drug Store at 9228 144 Ave. on June 21, 2009, and attempted to open a door leading behind the pharmacy counter.

Pharmacist Craig Forster told Severight he was not allowed in the back, however he pulled out a knife and said "why not" and then jumped right over the counter.

Severight then went to the narcotics vault and filled a garbage can with various drugs, including Oxycontin and morphine, and headed towards the door.

However, as Severight turned to look at an item on a shelf, Forster punched him once in the face. He fell backwards and dropped both the bucket of stolen narcotics and his ball cap and the pair began to wrestle.

Defence lawyer Kirk MacDonald said the "brave" pharmacist grabbed Severight "hockey-style" and pulled his jacket over his head, but he ended up suffering injuries to his arm as he was cut by the knife.

Severight managed to break free after the pair went over the counter and onto the floor and ran empty-handed from the pharmacy. Police were unable to track Severight down, but he was identified from the DNA on his ball cap.

Forster needed four stitches to his left bicep and had a wound to his right wrist glued shut.

Meanwhile, Severight was nabbed after a Feb. 26 robbery at the I.D.A. Stadium Pharmacy at 11123 95 St.

Court heard he pulled out a large kitchen knife and then stole money from the till and filled a book bag with bottles of pills from the narcotics safe before fleeing.

Police were called and Severight was found lying out of breath on a foam mattress in the living room of a nearby home rented by a known drug user. He was arrested and the stolen drugs and money were recovered.

MacDonald told the judge that Severight committed the robberies because he was addicted to opiates.

Severight got five months credit for time in pre-trial custody, leaving him with 49 months to serve. He was also ordered to submit a DNA sample for the national DNA databank and banned from possessing weapons for life.

tony.blais@sunmedia.ca