Ex-butcher jailed over robbery of his old West Bromwich firm
A former Black Country butcher involved in the £2,600 robbery of workers at the firm he once worked for was today behind bars.
Two employees from the West Bromwich branch of Walter Smith were carrying takings to a bank when masked men pounced, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard yesterday.
The man with the cash in a holdall over his shoulder was dragged to the ground and slightly injured as the bag was grabbed by the two robbers in West Bromwich High Street, prosecutor Mr Mark Phillips said.
The pair fled with the money but witnesses got enough of the registration number of their getaway car for a police patrol to spot the Honda Civic being driven towards Great Bridge.
Officers chased the car until it tried to squeeze between two lanes of traffic, hit several vehicles and ploughed into a VW Golf. Two men fled on foot but were later arrested while the third man travelling in the getaway car was detained at the scene, continued Mr Phillips.
David Smith had been sitting in the back seat throughout the drama, revealed Mr Stephen Cadwaladr, defending.
He added: "He had been given a lift to West Bromwich by the other men to see the mother of his partner. He was dropped off near the agreed meeting point but when she did not arrive he returned to the vehicle to find the two men talking about robbery."
Market worker Smith, aged 38, who had been employed by Walter Smith until January 2004, later told police: "I happened to notice two men passing who were wearing butchers' uniforms and carrying a bag. I said there may be money there and they went to snatch the bag."
Two other men have admitted their involvement in the crime and are awaiting sentence. The stolen cash was found in the possession of one of these, the court heard.
Father-of-two Smith from Vicarage Road, West Bromwich, admitted the robbery last August and was jailed for two years and eight months.
