Betting shop burglar’s bare-faced cheek caught on camera

A ROBBER burst into a betting shop armed with a bottle and stole £200 from the till – and managed to bare his bottom directly at a CCTV camera before making his escape.

Kevin Bray’s trousers slipped down as he leapt over the counter and inadvertently bared his bottom directly towards the CCTV camera that caught him pocketing cash from the till.

Speaking at Cardiff Crown Court, his barrister James Evans said: “He was clearly very intoxicated.”

The court heard the robbery happened at Ladbrokes betting shop in Newport at around 3.30pm on July 30.

John Warren, prosecuting, said two female staff members were behind the counter when Bray burst in armed with a bottle, his face half-covered by a scarf.

The court heard the women locked themselves in a staff room at the back of the shop and activated an alarm.

Mr Warren said Bray was “screaming and shouting” as he jumped over the counter and grabbed £200 from the till.

He was in the shop for around a minute and a half, before making his way to a nearby McDonald’s.

The court heard a passerby saw him discard clothing and heard him mutter: “They’re going to kill me.” He spotted banknotes in Bray’s hand and called the police, telling them where the defendant was heading.

Prosecutors said the robber went into McDonald’s and ordered a drink. The assistant manager noted he was “very erratic and aggressive” and thought he must be drunk. Bray was ushered out and a security guard stopped him from going back inside.

He was captured on CCTV outside McDonald’s, appearing to kick out, before pulling his top off and swinging it around his head.

Prosecutors said he approached a boy who cycled past him, before the police arrived and handcuffed him.

The court was told that Bray was arrested outside McDonald’s and used racially offensive language towards a police officer. He was taken to the police station and initially answered “no comment” to all questions.

When shown CCTV of the incident, Bray said he could not remember what happened after drinking at a friend’s house.

Bray, 32, from Hazel Road in Newport, admitted robbery, affray and racially aggravated harassment.

The court heard Bray has a five-year-old son in Ireland and came to Wales to find work.

Judge Jeremy Jenkins noted the victims must have been “absolutely terrified” and jailed Bray for 24 months.