JAILED: Five years for robbery pair who beat up shopkeepers for £500

Darren Goulbourne and Christopher Donnelly, aged 33 and 32 respectively, escaped with a total of £500 from the two raids, a judge heard.

Goulbourne smashed a wine bottle over the head of Mr Jagmeet Singh while Donnelly dashed behind the counter to pin him to the floor, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

The thugs grabbed £300 cash and threw a vodka bottle at the injured man as they fled from The Glyn off licence in Glyn Avenue, Bilston on May 26, revealed Mr Howard Searle, prosecuting.

Seven days later the pair picked up a further £200 in a carbon copy raid on Wines and Beers UK in Darlaston Road, Wednesbury, it was said.

They waited for the store to empty of customers before Goulbourne tried unsuccessfully to hit the owner, Mr Rajiv Sharma, continued Mr Searle.

The robbers then punched and kicked the victim as he valiantly tried to beat them off with a stick, the court heard.

The pair ran away but were finally traced and arrested in November after a police appeal for information led to the culprits being identified, concluded the prosecutor. Goulbourne's finger prints were found on the vodka bottle thrown at Mr Singh.

The two shopkeepers suffered cuts and bruises and Mr Sharma later told detectives: "The attackers upset me but will not stop me working. This is my shop, my business, my livelihood."

The robbers had turned to drugs and alcohol after losing their jobs and had been on binges before the raids.

Neither had previous convictions for serious offences.

Father-of-one Donnelly had nine GCSEs, was of previous good character and had always been in work until losing his job 12 months before turning to crime, said Mr Jasvir Mann, defending, who added: "He had taken a great deal of alcohol and drugs before doing this and is thoroughly ashamed of himself."

Miss Sally Cairns, representing father-of-two Goulbourne, who only had previous convictions for motoring matters and lost his delivery driver job after being banned from the roads for six months earlier, said: "He had been unable to find other work and this led to friction at home. He has little recollection of the two offences after turning to drink and drugs and is shocked and disgusted by his actions."

Donnelly, of The Furlong, Wednesbury, and Goulbourne, of Hillside Road, Great Barr both pleaded guilty to the robberies and were sent to prison by Judge John Warner.

Judge Warner said: "You subjected the shopkeepers to extremely frightening experiences. "

He added: "I do not understand why two people of your age should start offending at such a serious level. I hope you do not continue in a life of serious crime when you are released."