Stabbing threat of man in bid to rob bookies
ABETTING shop raider armed with a 12-inch kitchen knife threatened to stab a customer if the cashier didn’t fill up his bag with cash.
Stephen Skelhorne travelled to four different betting shops – including one in Widnes – in one day in an attempt to get money to feed his drug habit.
Liverpool Crown Court heard the 37-year-old was also involved in an aggravated burglary in Widnes when he was again armed with a knife and stole a 43 inch TV.
The court heard that Skelhorne, formerly of Pennard Avenue, Huyton, has 44 previous convictions for 78 offences including possessing a knife, assault and dishonesty.
The defendant of no fixed address, who had been sleeping in his car, pleaded guilty to ten offences involving attempted robbery, possessing a knife, aggravated burglary and going equipped with a knife to steal.
Judge David Potter ruled that 47-year-old Skelhorne is a danger to the public which means he will have to serve at least three years behind bars and he also imposed an extended licence of three years.
Skelhorne entered William Hill on Broad Lane, Kirkby, with his face covered, wearing sunglasses, a baseball cap and a hoodie.
He then pulled out a 12-inch kitchen knife and staff went to a secure room and pressed the panic button.
Skelhorne left and half an hour later went into another branch of the bookies in Liverpool Road, Huyton and loitered by the television screens before sitting down.
Clare Jones, prosecuting, said: “After a while he left and on leaving was seen dropping a large knife, which made a loud bang which attracted the attention of one of the cashiers who then went and picked up the knife, approximately 10 inch in length.”
Undeterred just 15 minutes later Skelhorne, arrived at another William Hill branch in Page Moss Parade and was seen walking around the store.
Ms Jones said: “The defendant went behind a pillar and began to rummage in his back pack. He then walked over to the counter area with another large knife in his hand and held it up to the cashier and said, ‘You’re gonna have to fill the bag up for me. Fill the bag up. Watch what I’m gonna do to you with this.’
“The cashier refused and retreated to a back room. The defendant was told that the police had been called. He tried to leave but the magnetic lock had been activated.
“The defendant then kicked at the glass door causing it to shatter and break the lock. He then escaped in a silver Focus.
“The defendant told the female cashier to fill up his bag with money or a male customer would be stabbed. He told her not to ring or call for anyone but the cashier refused his demand for money and the defendant left the store empty handed.”
Just before 7pm he went into Dave Pluck bookmakers on Frederick Street, Widnes with a cap and sunglasses on. He was loitering which attracted the cashier’s attention and he then went up to the counter armed with a knife.
Miss Jones said that CCTV was obtained from all the premises and a silver Ford seen in the area of one of the attempted robberies was checked by police and it was found to have been recently bought by Skelhorne.
Evidence also showed his phone had been travelling between the various locations.
Five days after the attempted robberies Skelhorne was back in Frederick Street in Widnes when he went to a block of flats with another man.
They went in with a woman, who was a regular visitor, after another resident opened the door to her. Shortly afterwards the woman spotted Skelhorne with a large knife in his hand and she went to see where he and his male companion were.
She saw Skelhorne coming out of the neighbour’s flat, where the other woman regularly visited, carrying a large television set.
CCTV showed the two men and the woman leaving with stolen items and it also showed that earlier while in the block Skelhorne stabbed the tyres of a bicycle in the hallway and forcibly entered the flat.
The victim came home to find his clothes strewn all over the floor and the flat “messed up”. His 43 inch TV and gaming computer had been stolen. The items were recovered from the woman’s home though the TV screen had been damaged.
Phil Astbury, defending, said that Skelhorne expressed remorse for the offences which occurred during a “difficult period of time”. He had reached a particularly low point in his life with the end of his relationship.
Mr Astbury said: “He was sleeping rough, in his car most of the time and he had clearly fallen back into the grip of drugs and drink misuse.”
“He has been on remand in prison since his arrest in September where he has been subjected to violence. He has enrolled on courses and is on the drug free wing.”
The court heard that he had lost his accommodation, his youngest son was put in care and he descended into using cannabis, heroin and diazepam.
Judge Potter said that his record did not show a “hardened view of violence and the weapons were not used on anyone.”
But he told him ‘there has been a markedly upward shift in your behaviour’ and ruled that he poses a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm.