A Newcastle robber who threatened a shop worker and stole vapes after she refused to hand over £20, has avoided jail.
Colin Armstrong, 56, entered Drinks Express at around 5.40pm in September last year and asked the shop assistant if he could top up his gas or electricity. Newcastle Crown Court heard the woman told Armstrong the machine wasn’t working, leading him to threaten her and demand £20 or he would “take what he wants”.
The defendant, of Fox Hounds Lane, Newcastle, then picked up a box of iPhones charges and ripped off the label before making his way to the exit, the court was told. The victim tried to stop him and he then tried to go behind the counter.
CCTV showed a struggle then took place, with Armstrong pushing the door into the victim and striking her twice across the face. The victim confirmed he hit her to the face and stole vapes worth around £60 from the shop, the court heard.
The court heard the defendant was at a “chaotic” point in his life but has been working on his mental health.
On sentencing, Judge Scott said the victim continues to “feel scared now” following the incident.
She said: “She describes in her victim impact statement, quite understandably, that she was scared at the time and continues to feel scared now. As a person who was at work and just doing her job, it must have been a very frightening ordeal. Your behaviour on that occasion was absolutely disgraceful. “
She said the defendant had “poor mental health” but had been seeking help and immediate custody would cause him to lose his support network and home.
Judge Carolyn Scott issued a stark warning to Armstrong: “If in the next two years you commit any offence, whether or not it is for the same type I am sentencing you today, you will be brought back into court and it is likely this sentence will be brought into operation in full or part.
“I’m reserving any breaches of the suspended sentence order back to me and I make it clear to you, if you appear back before me for breaching the order it is likely you will be going through the door at the back rather than this door here.”
Armstrong, who has 36 convictions for 92 offences, pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also placed on an electric curfew for three months and ordered to carry out 25 rehabilitation days.
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