Shop worker punched in face and robber steals their car

Drug addict damaged car which had to be written off

A FORMER Loughborough woman twice punched a shop worker in the face during a robbery before making off in the victim’s car.

Drug addict Dawn Lewis damaged the nearly new Ford EcoSport beyond repair as she made off to “no particular destination” during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Leicester Crown Court was told the robbery happened at the Victoria News and Booze store, in Howard Road, Clarendon Park, Leicester, on the morning of Monday April 1.

Elizabeth Dodds, prosecuting, said the defendant came into the shop at about 7am.

The cashier recognised the 45-year-old defendant as a regular customer who had always been “polite and calm.” But after being told there was no hand sanitiser in stock she appeared “angry.”

Lewis went behind the counter and grabbed an unquantified amount of cash from the till, as the victim was looking for her own gel to kindly give her some.

The defendant also stole a bunch of home and car keys belonging to the victim, who implored her not to take them.

Miss Dodds said: “The defendant punched her in the face and then punched her again, causing her to fall backwards.”

“The complainant felt dizzy, nearly to the point of losing consciousness, but managed to hit the panic alarm,” said the prosecutor.

After the defendant made off in her car, the shocked and distressed victim dialled 999 and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Two hours later, two members of the public separately reported to the police having seen a woman driving erratically in a Ford EcoSport.

When the police caught up with Lewis, the car was so damaged it was an insurance write off.

A roadside breath test showed a reading of 56 mgms (the legal limit is 35 mgms) but Lewis failed to give a specimen at the police station, where she vomited and urinated in her cell and attempted to self-harm

Lewis, of Clarendon Park Road, Leicester, and formerly of Loughborough, admitted the shop robbery, aggravated vehicle taking, driving without insurance or a licence and failing to provide a specimen.

The court heard she had 51 offences on her criminal record, mainly for shop thefts.

Three days later, the 60-year-old complainant made a victim impact statement, describing she was still suffering pain to her face, neck, head, chest and arms.

Miss Dodds said: “She’d only had the car for a few months and the insurance company reimbursed her £1,000 less than she paid for it.”

She was left feeling scared, with lost confidence and became tearful whenever she thought about the incident. “I don’t feel any happiness now,” she said.

Judge Nicholas Dean QC said to Lewis: “From what I’ve been told you’ve had a very difficult life.

“Issues and problems in a relationship led to you becoming in a drink and drug addict which, in turn, leads you to committing offences.

“You’ve committed many offences over so many years and failed to take the opportunity of help and assistance the courts have provided.

“The time has come when only custody is appropriate and you accept that.

“The victim was merely minding the shop when she was subjected to not inconsiderable violence.

“You also took her keys and made off in her vehicle.”

He said an aggravating feature was that Lewis was on a community order at the time, with drug rehabilitation designed to help and guide her.

The judge added: “You’ve expressed regret and remorse and have indicated you want to make a fresh start on your release.

“I have no doubt it will be a difficult time when you are released.”

James Varley, mitigating, said the defendant was in a cycle of abuse with homelessness and living in refuges.

He said Lewis committed the latest offences during the Covid-19 lockdown when “the world seemed very bleak.”

He added: “She took the car with no destination in mind. It was instinct to flee without knowing where she would go.

“She says she needs to be where she is (in custody) for a little longer because it’s sorting her out.

“She wants to be released with a home in place, to get a job and hopes to have counselling for her issues with drugs.”

Lewis, who appeared in court via a live video link from HMP Peterborough, was jailed for two years, of which she will serve up to half.

She was banned from driving for two years.