Robber is jailed for series of raids at knifepoint

A KNIFE-WIELDING robber who terrorised staff at two McDonald’s restaurants and two other stores in Bradford has been jailed for 10-and-a-half years.

Cameron Woodhead, 21, of Idle Road, Bradford, covered his face with a scarf and demanded money from the safe at McDonald’s on Valley Road in a late night raid last November.

The manager put about £500 in cash into a carrier bag before Woodhead said “nice one” and left the restaurant.

Four days later he tried to rob Quencher off-licence on Norman Lane, again at knifepoint, but the shop assistant activated an alarm after Woodhead jumped onto the counter.

He fled empty-handed but 10 minutes later he targeted a nearby Poundland store as staff prepared to close the shop for the day.

Prosecutor Phillip Adams told Bradford Crown Court yesterday that a male shop assistant thought it was a joke when Woodhead demanded cash, but after seeing the knife he ran off with Woodhead in pursuit. He blocked the robber’s path with a storage cage and Woodhead eventually left the store.

Mr Adams said Woodhead had threatened to kill a female member of staff who was “frozen to the spot” if she did not get out of his way as he fled.

The next morning Woodhead brandished a knife at a female assistant at McDonald’s on Enterprise Way before a manager at the premises handed over about £700 in cash.

Woodhead admitted two charges of robbery, two of attempted robbery and four of possession of a knife and his barrister Abigail Langford said he wanted to apologise for the fear which he had caused.

Sentencing, Judge David Hatton QC said: “Each of those offences, it is not difficult to imagine, caused terror to your victims, caused distress and on at least one occasion caused significant continuing psychological damage.”