Published date: 05 August 2016 |
Published by: Staff reporterRead more articles by Staff reporterEmail reporter
A MAN who failed to rob a filling station while pretending he had a gun had escaped with £240 after brandishing a knife at a petrified shop worker later the same day, a judge heard.
Billy-Joe Easterbrook, 20, of Church Street, Flint, free on licence from prison for robbery at the time, was on this occasion jailed for six years.
He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery on July 9, possessing an imitation firearm which was a wooden stick, robbery, and threatening the Spar assistant at Garden City, Deeside, with a kitchen knife.
Judge David Hale told him at Mold Crown Court: "I have no doubt there's a significant risk of further offences to be committed by you.
"You had a wretched start in life. But you have got to make up your mind 'do I buckle down and get on with something or am I going to come out just as feckless as before so the lure of money for drugs outweighed everything'?"
Prosecutor David Mainstone said at 6.15am Easterbrook had entered a Shell garage at Flint and demanded money, claiming to have a "point 38." But a man working there told him to "**** off."
The worker pretended to press a panic button and the defendant fled.
Mr Mainstone said the defendant returned to a Flint hostel but took a knife from the kitchen. At 8pm a woman assistant at the Spar was approached by Easterbrook who produced a knife and swept it past her neck. He demanded cash and she was "frozen in fear."
The prosecutor said Easterbrook took cash and left the knife on the counter.
He told staff: "Keep that as evidence."
He was recognised by police from CCTV footage and told them he had a stick under his T shirt on the first occasion.
He needed cash for cocaine and spent the money from the Spar on drugs.
The lawyer said Easterbrook's criminal record included attempted robbery, and a robbery at a Holywell garage with a knife.
Defence counsel Matthew Curtis said Easterbrook left a "trail of evidence.' He had put his desire to obtain drugs over everything else.
Det Sgt Colin Oare of Flintshire CID said afterwards: “ Easterbrook caused great distress to his victims.
Billy-Joe Easterbrook, 20, of Church Street, Flint, free on licence from prison for robbery at the time, was on this occasion jailed for six years.
He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery on July 9, possessing an imitation firearm which was a wooden stick, robbery, and threatening the Spar assistant at Garden City, Deeside, with a kitchen knife.
Judge David Hale told him at Mold Crown Court: "I have no doubt there's a significant risk of further offences to be committed by you.
"You had a wretched start in life. But you have got to make up your mind 'do I buckle down and get on with something or am I going to come out just as feckless as before so the lure of money for drugs outweighed everything'?"
Prosecutor David Mainstone said at 6.15am Easterbrook had entered a Shell garage at Flint and demanded money, claiming to have a "point 38." But a man working there told him to "**** off."
The worker pretended to press a panic button and the defendant fled.
Mr Mainstone said the defendant returned to a Flint hostel but took a knife from the kitchen. At 8pm a woman assistant at the Spar was approached by Easterbrook who produced a knife and swept it past her neck. He demanded cash and she was "frozen in fear."
The prosecutor said Easterbrook took cash and left the knife on the counter.
He told staff: "Keep that as evidence."
He was recognised by police from CCTV footage and told them he had a stick under his T shirt on the first occasion.
He needed cash for cocaine and spent the money from the Spar on drugs.
The lawyer said Easterbrook's criminal record included attempted robbery, and a robbery at a Holywell garage with a knife.
Defence counsel Matthew Curtis said Easterbrook left a "trail of evidence.' He had put his desire to obtain drugs over everything else.
Det Sgt Colin Oare of Flintshire CID said afterwards: “ Easterbrook caused great distress to his victims.
"This sentence is a warning to anyone who thinks they can engage in such criminality that North Wales Police will bring them to justice and the courts will deal with them robustly.
" hope the people of Flintshire will be reassured now that Easterbrook is off the streets.”
" hope the people of Flintshire will be reassured now that Easterbrook is off the streets.”
see-http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/165133/flint-man-tried-to-rob-petrol-station-pretending-he-had-a-gun-after-brandishing-knife-at-shop-worker.aspx
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