Machete thugs robbed four shops in 20 minutes
WORKER’S HEAD SPLIT OPEN IN BLADE ATTACK DURING SPREE
TWO masked men terrified workers at four convenience stores in a shocking 20-minute armed robbery spree.
Lewis Creighton, 27, split one shopkeeper’s head open with a machete while his accomplice Joshua Anderson, 19, helped him to rob a shop.
The pair emptied the till and stole three bottles of vodka from Mini Market in Newton Road in Lowton, Wigan.
It was just one of four robberies carried out by Creighton and Anderson on the morning of August 14, Rachel Widdicombe, prosecuting, told Bolton Crown Court.
Their spree started at around 9.30am at High Spirits Go Local, Bradwell Road, Lowton.
Creighton, of no fixed address, was wearing a balaclava and Anderson, of Cox Way, Atherton, had a blue mask as they made their way to the entrance of the store. Before going in, Creighton hit the windscreen of a car with his machete and said to the person inside: “Don’t be a f***ing hero.”
When they entered the shop, Anderson said to the volunteer shop worker: “Give us all the money in the till.”
Creighton then added: “Give us all the f***ing money”.
The woman handed Creighton money and he demanded more.
He also struck a plastic screen with his machete, which partially shattered and caused a cut to her head.
They drove a stolen Audi to Newton Road, where Creighton attacked the shopkeeper at Mini Market with his machete. The man needed stitches to his finger and his head.
Anderson pointed at the till until the shopkeeper opened it and he stuffed cash into his pockets.
Their next target was a store in Warrington Road, Leigh. As the owner opened up for the day, he turned around from the back room and saw two men walking towards him.
Anderson grabbed some pink gin from the shelf, while Creighton stood by the till and said: “Don’t look at me. Open the till.”
They stole £20 and Creighton demanded that the shopkeeper fill his bag with cigarettes.
He then smashed a bottle of vodka on one of the shelves with his machete.
The fourth and final robbery was at Food & Drink 4 U, in Green Street, Atherton. A man was working alone when the two men entered.
Creighton said: “Open your f***ing till. Give me the f***ing money.”
Creighton then hit the shopkeeper on the back of the head three times with his machete, as well as to his back.
The man then picked up a plastic tray to defend himself and Creighton was stabbing at the tray.
Anderson pulled the till off its shelf and they ran away with it.
The pair were arrested a short time later. Both pleaded guilty to four counts of robbery. Creighton also pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article.
Creighton’s defence barrister, Patrick Buckley said that he had taken a ‘total break from reality for 15 to 20 minutes.’
Sentencing Creighton to seven years and four months imprisonment, Judge Timothy Clayson said: “You took a leading role throughout and caused physical injury.” He will have to serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody.
Anderson was jailed for six years and will have to spend half in custody, with the rest on licence.