Armed raiders jailed (From Warrington Guardian)

Armed raiders jailed

TWO armed robbers have been jailed alongside an accomplice after two evening raids left shop staff terrified.

A worker at a Warrington Co-op store said that at one point during a robbery by Lee Jenks and Ian Cameron, a knife was held just inches from her face.

In another raid at a Victoria Wine store, carried out by 30-year-old Jenks, a worker said she believed she would have been stabbed if she hadn't opened the till.

Jenks and Cameron, both aged 31, appeared alongside Jennifer Donlan, aged 26, at Warrington Crown Court on Thursday. Jenks admitted two counts of robbery, Cameron admitted one count of robbery and Donlan was found guilty of two counts of robbery and two counts of theft.

Karl Scholz, prosecuting, told the court that the first offence took place at the Co-op store on Capesthorne Road in Orford on January 17. At around 10.50pm, one of the three women workers was aware of a man standing in front of her. He was holding a blade about eight or nine inches long. The second man (Cameron) started banging it on the counter before demanding money.

In the robbery at Victoria Wine on Warrington Road in February, staff reported a woman coming into the store, identified as Jennifer Donlan, asking for directions.

Shortly after, the court heard that Jenks went in and jumped on to the counter with a knife in his hand. He said: "I just want all the money, I don't mind knifing both of you."

Both Jenks and Cameron both told the court they were remorseful of their actions and the court heard Donlan had made significant progress since being in custody.

Jenks was ordered to serve 15 months in prison on an outstanding sentence before serving six years for the robbery offences and Cameron was ordered to serve four years and eight months. Both men were in custody at Altcourse Prison when their case was committed to crown court so residential addresses were not given in court.

Donlan, of Northholt Court, Padgate, was ordered to serve three years 10 months.