Bow pair jailed for terror raid

Two armed masked robbers who held the assistant at a Stafford shop at crossbow point have each been jailed for 40 months.

Stafford Crown Court heard drug-fuelled Scott Stretton and Terry Garner "ran into the arms of the police" after the raid as they tried to catch a train to Wolverhampton to buy more drugs.

They and a third man, Mark Andrea, had the cash contents of the till from the Stone Road General News and Post Office on them when arrested.

Mr Patrick Sullivan, prosecuting, told the court that part-time member of staff Odaya Samaraweera was terrified as the crossbow was held just inches away from his face.

He did not know it was not capable of being fired because there was no bolt.

"He bravely pushed it away and tried to stop them taking the till," said Mr Sullivan.

Stretton, wearing a "Scream" mask was pulling at it and eventually Mr Samaraweera, being threatened by Garner who had a scarf covering part of his face, lost his grip.

Mr Sullivan told the court the till, worth about £600, was later found dumped in a nearby field.

Meanwhile Stretton and Garner, who were joined by Andrea after the raid, split the £180 contents. The three then made their way to Stafford railway station intending to get a train.

"The police had been notified and acted very quickly," said Mr Sullivan. "They went to the station, to platform three, and waited and the defendants quite literally ran into their arms."

Stretton, aged 24, of Young Avenue and Garner, 23, of no fixed address, both admitted robbery. Stretton asked for nine other offences of dishonesty to be taken into consideration and Garner, 31.

Andrea, 19, also of Young Avenue, pleaded guilty to handling and was sentenced to six months in a young offenders' institution.

Mr Recorder Ben Nicholls told Sutton and Garner: "You, no doubt desperate for drugs, decided to raise money by targeting a local shop.

"You planned what you were going to do. You were equipped with a mask and a scarf and you armed yourselves with a weapon.'

The judge said he accepted the crossbow was taken to "terrorise" the assistant and that it could not have been used.

Mr Eugene Hickey, for Stretton and Garner, said while it must have been a terrifying ordeal for Mr Samaraweera only the minimum of violence was used.

"The situation was one of utter stupidity for which both accept their responsibility and both pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and both now want to wipe the slate clean."

Mr Stephen Bailey, for Andrea, said his client's role was "a world away from the robbers and committed in a moment of drug fuelled madness." He said Andrea was now trying to rid himself of his drug addiction.