JAILED: Drug-addicted robber pushed worker to floor and threatened her with hammer
A robber has been jailed for more than four years for his part in a violent raid on a newsagents which left an employee traumatised and unable to be in the shop on her own.
John Garratt and an accomplice stole £500 worth of cigarettes and attempted to steal a cash box containing lottery money from M&S News in Tipton after threatening the shopkeeper with a claw hammer and pushing her to the floor on November 21.
David Bennett, prosecuting, said the robbery left the staff member 'unnerved' and unable to work in the shop on her own, though she did not suffer any physical injuries.
He said the woman was working behind the counter when drug addict Garratt, aged 28, and his partner-in-crime approached her wearing black face masks.
One of the men then raised the hammer above his head before attempting to take the cash box from under the counter, but was pushed away by the shopkeeper who called for help.
The second male was stealing cigarettes from behind the counter and was also pushed away by the employee, but retaliated by forcing her onto the floor.
Members of the woman's family then came out from a room at the back of the shop, causing one of the robbers to run away, while the other threatened the family with the claw hammer before fleeing.
The suspects fled in an Astra which was subsequently found abandoned near Shakespeare Road and the defendant was seen walking away and throwing an item into the garden of a nearby house.
He was found to be in possession of a black face covering similar to coverings worn by the raiders, who were captured on CCTV footage.
Mr Bennett said: "The victim described herself as being left shaken and unnerved by the incident and would be nervous about working in the shop on her own."
He added Garratt had numerous previous convictions for robbery.
Thomas Schofield, mitigating, told Wolverhampton Crown Court Garratt, of Elwell Street, West Bromwich was 'remorseful' about his crime and had become addicted to class A drugs, while he had also become depressed following a bereavement.
Recorder Anthony Lowe said there was 'no point' in lecturing about his crimes because previous judges had done the same without Garratt changing his behaviour.
He deemed Garratt to be a danger to the public due to the threat of violence involved in the robberies, adding that he was 'not a man of good character.'
He sentenced him to four years and eight months in prison.
