Two men admit to stealing cash at knifepoint

TWO men have pleaded guilty following a series of knifepoint robberies in Runcorn and Helsby.

Daniel Hayes, 30, of Clifton Crescent, Frodsham, admitted robbing from shops on three different occasions.

The first involved robbing a shopworker of £200 at the BP Garage on Thomas Jones Way in Runcorn on July 10 then robbing staff of £402 at the One-Stop Shop on Chester Road in Helsby on July 12 and robbing staff of £170 at the Spar in Palacefields, Runcorn, on July 11.

Hayes also admitted three counts of possessing a knife in public.

Sam Oultran, 23, of Churchill Mansions,

Cooper Street, Runcorn, pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery in connection with the same incidents.

Hayes and Oultran entered their pleas at Chester Crown Court on Thursday (August 12) and were remanded in custody to be sentenced in January following the trial of a third defendant, Amy Jody Burns, 30, of Stenhills Crescent, Runcorn, who denied three counts of robbery.

Burns was also remanded in custody.

Her trial is due to start on January 5 with an estimate of five days.

Hayes was arrested after armed police stormed a hotel in Warrington on Wednesday, July 14.