Robber threatened to shoot Shropshire bank cashier

Martin Dawson ordered Carol Jessup to put almost £8,000 of bank notes into a bag he was holding before calmly walking out of the Britannia building society in Newport High Street, Stafford Crown Court was told.

The raid, was carried out by a man fitting Dawson's description on June 29 last year – five days after he had absconded from Sudbury open prison, where he had been held for 13 years for armed robberies, the court heard.

The robbery was featured on the BBC's Crimewatch programme and a former cellmate of Dawson's contacted the police.

An appeal was put out to the media and Dawson was eventually arrested in Stoke on Trent in October last year – but not before he had committed a "carbon copy" robbery at the Britannia branch in Macclesfield, Cheshire, the court was told.

Dawson, of no fixed abode, denies three charges of robbery and two of possessing an imitation firearm. The 51-year-old will not appear in the dock during his trial as he is receiving treatment in hospital.

CCTV footage inside the building society in Newport and on High Street showed a man wearing dark sunglasses twice on the point of entering the bank and changing his mind. At 11.21am, he did go in, carrying an orange bag and holding a realistic-looking handgun.

Miss Cathlyn Orchard, prosecuting, said Ms Jessup was one of four female cashiers working in the branch at the time of the robbery but was the only one with an open till.

She said: "They were oblivious to the fact the building society was being watched by a man, the prosecution say was Martin Dawson, intent on robbing it."

Miss Orchard said Dawson pointed the weapon at Ms Jessup and said 'Put the money in the bag'.

"She hesitated for a moment and he said 'If you don't give me the money, I'll shoot you'," said Miss Orchard.

Ms Jessup and a colleague Karen Thornton put notes in the bag and the robber "walked out as calmly as he had walked in. It took only about 30 seconds and he got away with £7,985".

The robber's image was shown on Crimewatch on July 25 last year, and Dawson carried out the robbery in Macclesfield on August 29 of that year, the court was told. After a second Crimewatch appeal he was arrested by police in Stoke-on-Trent on October 16 last year.

The trial continues.