Bungling Asda robber fails in bid for shorter sentence
A bungling robber who had to abandon £9,000 worth of cigarettes because the swag bag was too heavy has failed to convince top judges his sentence was too tough.
Reece Melvin Jones, 21, of Windsor Road, Tipton, took part in a botched raid on a 24-hour Asda store in Darlaston on December 15, 2015.
Jones and two others went into the supermarket with their hoods up and he was wearing socks on his hands.
One of the other men was carrying a wrench, Mr Justice Fraser told London's Appeal Court.
A security guard was threatened with the tool and made to lie down.
The robbers put £9,000 worth of cigarettes into a large builder's bag.
But it was so 'full and heavy' they could not get it through the doors and had to abandon it.
A police chase ensued and officers had to use CS gas on Jones.
He admitted robbery and got four years and six months in a young offenders institution at Wolverhampton Crown Court on July 8 last year.
On Tuesday, his lawyers argued his sentence was far too tough, especially considering his youth and relatively minor previous convictions.
But Mr Justice Fraser pointed to the threats, including with the wrench, the treatment of the security guard and the resisting of arrest.
"Four-and-a-half years was not manifestly excessive and this appeal is dismissed," ruled the judge, who was sitting with Lord Justice Davis and Judge Julian Goose QC.
