Robber jailed for armed Telford Co-op raid

Dean Richards, 22, admitted raiding the convenience store in Roden Close, Dothill – the second time in eight days it had been targeted by robbers.

The shop assistant threatened by Richards was "extremely scared" during the attack, a court was told.

Victim Matthew Forster said the robbery on March 28 had "seriously unnerved" him.

The raid was one of a number by separate offenders targeting convenience stores in the Telford area in the past year.

Richards, of Buildwas Road, Wellington, Telford, had entered the store on a Thursday afternoon and shouted: "This is a robbery. Open the till and give me the money," Kevin Jones, prosecuting, told Shrewsbury Crown Court.

Mr Jones added: "He had a woolley hat on, pulled down to his face to his chin, with two eye holes cut out – essentially a home-made balaclava," he added.

"He held an eight to nine inch flat-headed screwdriver.

"He pointed the screwdriver towards Mr Forster in a generally aggressive manner and continued to demand the money."

Richards, who escaped with £166.37 in cash, was sentenced to two years and four months behind bars after he admitted robbery.

Judge Robin Onions said: "Local stores provide a very valuable service to the community and they have to be protected.

"When a crime like this is committed it has to be a custodial sentence."

Judge Onions said he gave Richards credit for an early guilty plea but there were aggravating features, included the planning that went into the offence and his use of a disguise.

Richards has four previous convictions for burglary of a dwelling, possession of an offensive weapon, common assault and an assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He will serve half of his sentence before being released on licence.