Addict raided bookies hours after court hearing (From The Oxford Times)
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Addict raided bookies hours after court hearing
7:00pm Tuesday 24th April 2012 in News By Thom Airs
Timothy Stern
A DRUG addict robbed an Oxford betting shop at knifepoint just hours after appearing in court.
Timothy Stern wore a disguise and concealed his face as he took £407.60 from Ladbrokes in Iffley Road on March 13.
The 29-year-old father-of-three was sentenced on Friday having earlier admitted robbery and two other shoplifting matters and asking for three other offences to be taken into consideration.
Prosecutor Simon Heptonstall said Stern had been in Ladbrokes on the evening before the robbery and noticed the manager taking money from the slot machines at about 8pm.
The following day, after appearing at Oxford Magistrates’ Court in the morning for another offence, Stern returned to the bookmaker’s.
Mr Heptonstall said the defendant concealed his face, wore one pair of clothes over another – ready to discard the outer layer after the robbery – and donned gloves before entering the shop at 8pm.
He said: “He went to the lady working in the shop as she was about to take the money from the machines, covered his face, and showed her a bag and a knife.
“He told her he knew it was policy for her to hand it over.”
Mr Heptonstall added: “He told police this was something he had learned in prison.”
Shop manager Amy White, who was working alone at the time, suffered sleepless nights and anxiety after the incident, the court heard.
Stern, of Blackbird Leys Road, Blackbird Leys, also stole 14 packets of meat from a Co-op in Oxford on February 20, three pairs of sunglasses from Scrivens in Oxford High Street on March 5, a television from Littlemore Hospital on March 7, and committed two other thefts.
He handed himself in to police on March 22 and admitted the Ladbrokes robbery.
Lucy Tapper, defending, said her client had “reached a point of absolute desperation” and welcomed a long jail sentence to beat his drug habit.
She said: “He would like an opportunity to be able to apologise to the victim of this robbery offence.
“This, for him, is the final step for him in putting his life back on track.”
Recorder John Hardy jailed Stern for a total of three-and-a-half years.
Comments(14)
A Scroat
says...
8:29pm Tue 24 Apr 12
Dilligaf2010
says...
10:13pm Tue 24 Apr 12
He doesn't deserve to be a father, children are the most precious thing somebody can have, everything else is a bonus.
His previous incarceration obviously didn't teach him anything, except how to commit further crimes, I have a hunch we'll be hearing more about him in the future.
He'll serve less than 2 years, and cost the tax payer about £70,000, a length of rope though would only cost a few quid, and can re reused, surely much more cost effective.
adlibber
says...
6:45am Wed 25 Apr 12
davyboy
says...
7:30am Wed 25 Apr 12
Lord Palmerstone
says...
7:54am Wed 25 Apr 12
adlibber wrote:I'm sure you're not that bad. You appear to be able to read.Or are you the product of one of Stern's 3 five second emissions?
Some serious morons on here
Geoff Roberts
says...
8:10am Wed 25 Apr 12
This website needs a 'hide' facility too.
eatmygoal
says...
10:50am Wed 25 Apr 12
sparky123456
says...
1:52pm Wed 25 Apr 12
L0RD PETER MCVEY 0X2 6EG
says...
4:53pm Wed 25 Apr 12
adlibber wrote:Morons, I know, length of rope indeed, but what about the cost of the scaffold etc. 50 mls of cyanide into the left arm would be much cheaper.
Some serious morons on here
Dilligaf2010
says...
5:20pm Wed 25 Apr 12
L0RD PETER MCVEY 0X2 6EG wrote:Why would scaffolding be needed, plenty of trees around....
adlibber wrote:Morons, I know, length of rope indeed, but what about the cost of the scaffold etc. 50 mls of cyanide into the left arm would be much cheaper.
Some serious morons on here
Kidlington Dave
says...
1:19pm Thu 26 Apr 12
Still got it on by the look of him - what was it - Phantom of the Opera?
adlibber
says...
2:02pm Thu 26 Apr 12
You're still a moron but pat yourself on the back for being the self proclaimed King of Moronia.
A Scroat
says...
8:13pm Thu 26 Apr 12
A34North says...
7:14pm Tue 24 Apr 12