Jailed: Robber threatened Telford mum putting her baby to bed
A robber who let himself into the Telford home of a terrified young mother as she was putting her newborn baby to bed and threatened to hurt her unless she handed over her car keys has been jailed for five years.
Richard Dillon told the woman, who was at home alone with her two young children, to "give me your car and you won't get hurt".
It happened less than an hour after Dillon had punched a shop worker in the face who had tried to stop him stealing a bottle of wine at the Co-op in Wellington – and just seven days after being released from prison for handling goods stolen in a street robbery.
Judge Robin Onions, sentencing Dillon at Shrewsbury Crown Court, told him he had "frightened the poor woman to death" and that he should be "ashamed of himself".
Dillon, 27, of no fixed abode, had admitted charges of robbery and attempted robbery at a previous court hearing.
Mr Duncan Craig, prosecuting, said Dillon was seen at the Co-op store in Roden Close, Wellington, just before 8pm on September 14.
The prosecutor told the court the team leader Richard Mason observed him taking a £15.99 bottle of wine from the shelf and putting it into a carrier bag.
"He consequently followed the defendant out of the store, caught up with him and attempted to grab the bag with the bottle in it," Mr Craig said.
"The defendant turned around and using his right hand punched him to the left side of his face, the bottle dropped and smashed on the ground."
Mr Craig said that around 50 minutes later, the woman was putting her baby to bed at her home in St Mark's Drive, Wellington, when she noticed her unlocked front door move.
He said she saw a shadowy figure and a gloved hand and called out to see who was there.
The prosecutor said: "A voice replied, 'Where are your car keys? I need your car, you can claim on the insurance'.
Mr Craig said when she refused she was told: "Give me your car and you won't get hurt".
But the court heard Dillon fled after she threatened to 'scream the place down' and he was arrested shortly after.
The victim picked him out of a police identification parade, Mr Craig said.
The woman said it had left her feeling "scared, vulnerable and fearful for her children".
Mrs Debra White, for Dillon, said her client had mental health problems which were exacerbated by his drug and alcohol use.
"He has little recollection of the commission of these offences because he had taken illegal substances and alcohol along with his anti-psychotic medication," she said.
"He apologises for his behaviour that day."
Judge Onions told Dillon as he went down to the cells: "This should be a wake-up call to you.
"You frightened that poor woman to death – you should be ashamed of yourself."
