Ben Parkinson, 37, of Swallowfields, Worcester, has been sentenced to four years and eight months in prison for two violent robberies targeting supermarket staff.
Morrisons Daily robbery
On Thursday, November 13 last year, Parkinson entered the Morrisons Daily store in Ankerage Green, Worcester. He filled a large bag with goods and attempted to leave without paying. When a staff member challenged him and asked for the stolen items to be returned, Parkinson punched the worker and fled.
Co-op robbery threats
In a second incident on Monday, April 27 this year, Parkinson targeted the Co-op store in Ambleside Drive, Worcester. He declared himself an 'armed robber' and threatened to 'stab' staff. He repeatedly pushed a member of staff in the chest, forcing them to the back of the store, before stealing alcohol and demanding tobacco.
Sentence and consequences
At Worcester Crown Court, Parkinson was convicted of two counts of robbery and one count of theft from a shop. For the Morrisons robbery, he received a three-year-and-four-month sentence and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228. For the theft, he was given six months to run concurrently. For the Co-op robbery, he was jailed for an additional 16 months to be served consecutively, bringing the total sentence to four years and eight months.
Police response
Det Con Peter Ryland, from West Mercia Police's Integrated Offender Management team, said: “We hope this sentence shows that when a managed individual re-offends they are dealt with robustly and justice is swiftly sought. West Mercia Police take offences against retail staff very seriously and the serious nature of his offences was reflected in sentencing. We would like to recognise the staff for their bravery and resilience during what was a traumatic experience for them and hope this result will help them to move on from these incidents.”
