By REBECCA DIXON rebecca.dixon@hexham-courant.co.uk

Last updated at 13:11, Friday, 05 February 2010

ARMED with metal bars and chains, two robbers burst into a Prudhoe convenience store and demanded cash from the terrified sales assistant.

Reece Gillon (17), of Stancley Road, Prudhoe, was wearing a balaclava and carrying a metal bar, as he and an accomplice shouted at the female employee “Money; till; now.”

Newcastle Crown Court heard how the woman, who was working at the Premier store at Halfway, on November 18, emptied the contents of the till into a bag and handed it to the two thieves.

Gillon then grabbed three bottles of spirits from the shelves and the pair fled.

They ran to a nearby wooded area where 20-year-old Michael Barker, of Cameron Road, Prudhoe, was waiting for them with a change of clothes.

The two robbers then burned the clothes they had been wearing during the raid.

The following day, Gillon, Barker, and their accomplice – a youth who cannot be named for legal reasons – were arrested.

Gillon later pleaded guilty to robbery and Barker admitted assisting an offender.

Defending Gillon, who was appearing at Crown Court for sentence, Gregg Stephens said he had played the lesser role in the robbery.

Although he had entered the shop masked and armed, he had remained in the background while his accomplice, the youth, had taken the cash. Gillon had then walked out with the alcohol.

Mr Stephens described Gillon as a “less sophisticated criminal” adding that he had not expected to find the female shop assistant in the shop and had not targeted her specifically.

During interview he was frank, honest and open with the police and was genuinely remorseful.

Mr Stephens said: “He has made an apology to the woman who was working in the shop, saying ‘sorry isn’t enough for what I’ve done, is it?’”

He added it was clear peer pressure had played a role and that Gillon would not have committed the offence had it not been for the encouragement of the others.

The time he had spent in custody leading up to his appearance in court had also had a sobering effect on him and his attitude to his future.

Defending Barker, Mark Saunders, said that although he was the eldest of the three, he was a shy young man who was not very assertive.

Barker had gone along with the plan, not really thinking anything would come of it, and once he realised what was happening he hadn’t had the courage to stop the other two.

Mr Saunders added: “Nothing he did made it more likely that the offence was going to be committed; the other two were perfectly capable of doing it on their own.”

He added that Barker realised his actions had caused his family anxiety, and that since the robbery he had been trying to disassociate himself from his peer group.

Mr Saunders said: “Barker had limited involvement in this offence and has shown genuine remorse.”

Judge John Evans sentenced Gillon to an 18-month detention and training order, stipulating that he serve half the sentence in custody and the other half on licence.

Sentencing Barker, the judge said: “You maintain you did your best to discourage the other two, but you did go along with them and it’s surprising you did not just part from their company.

“I’m not dealing with you for robbery, but what you did in my judgement puts you in the position where you have crossed the custody threshold.”

Barker was sentenced to 36 weeks in custody suspended for 12 months and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

Their accomplice, also 17, appeared at Tynedale Youth Court on Monday for sentence, having pleaded guilty to robbery at an earlier hearing.

He was sentenced to 12 months’ detention and training, half of which will be served in custody and the other half on licence, with the possibility of an early release for good progress.

Magistrates heard how the three bottles of spirits taken from the Premier store had been found in his bedroom, together with a notebook detailing amounts of cash, similar to those stolen.

The youth admitted the robbery to police during interview and said it had been a stupid idea where one thing had led to another until it had actually ended up taking place.

He also admitted being so scared in the run-up to the robbery that he had had second thoughts, and he added that he was sorry and wished he could turn back the clock.

Defending, Lisa Callum, said that at the time of the offence the youth was on a downwards spiral, taking cannabis and other substances.

He had become involved with the wrong crowd in an effort to cope with problems at home.

Miss Callum said he had shown remorse and although he had admitted his own involvement, he had been unwilling at first to give the names of his accomplices.

The youth had been detained in custody since November and Miss Callum said that the shock of life in prison had transformed him from a little boy into a young man who talked about his future and the direction his life was going in.

First published at 09:41, Friday, 05 February 2010
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk