Dad’s knifepoint robbery bid was ‘a cry for help’
JON MACPHERSON
ADRUNK dad-oftwo who attempted to rob a bookmakers shop at knifepoint in a ‘ cry for help’ has been jailed.
Alexander Cryne had consumed a bottle of vodka with Red Bull at his father’s house before walking to the Coral shop on Queen Street in Great Harwood with a plastic bag and a curved edge 10-inch knife, a court heard.
The 39-year-old, who was wearing sunglasses and a hoodie, then approached manager Graham Holden at the counter, who was serving a customer, and while holding the knife said: “Give me all your money. Do you think I’m stupid? Give me the money.”
Prosecutor Lisa Worsley told Burnley Crown Court that Mr Holden pressed the panic alarm button causing around five cus
tomers to flee the store.
Cryne then continued to shout ‘give me the money’ before Mr Holden walked back towards the panic room.
The defendant then left the store ‘hurriedly’ and empty handed and police were called shortly after 1pm on June 8.
Ms Worsley said Cryne then returned to his father’s home but he wasn’t identified until voluntarily handing himself into a police station nearly three weeks later.
In interview he gave ‘full and frank admissions’ and said he had recently separated from his partner of 17 years.
The court heard that Cryne was ‘struggling’ with family members being recently diagnosed with cancer and there had been ‘a lot going on for the last nine months’.
Ms Worsley said Cryne didn’t owe any money and had ‘no issues with any person involved’ in the incident.
She told the court that four days earlier Cryne had lost his job as a fire engineer following a random alcohol and drug test.
In a victim impact statement Mr Holden said he ‘felt shocked when it was over’ and thought ‘what the hell was going on?’
The court heard he is now ‘nervous and jumpy’ and the incident has had a ‘very significant impact on him’.
Cryne, who has 11 convictions for 32 previous offences, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possessing a knife.
Defence barrister Alison Whalley said Cryne turned to alcohol and has since lost his partner, accommodation and job.
She said: “He took the knife from his father’s property and committed the offence. It was a cry for help.
“It was not thought out or planned and he walked away once the cashier refused to give him cash.
“Before handing himself in he sat down with his children and explained to them he was going to prison for a significant amount of time.
“He has expressed genuine remorse and admitted he had been stupid.
“He says that alcohol has caused him to lose so much he simply will not drink again.”
Cryne, of Bewley Walk, Manchester, was jailed for two years and eight months.
Sentencing, Judge Andrew Woolman said: “You had come to a low point in your life to say the least. Although you have been in trouble from time to time, by and large you have been a hard-working man with a family to look after.”