I’ll blow your head off, robber said to manager (From Worcester News)

I’ll blow your head off, robber said to manager

7:40am Saturday 18th August 2012 in News

A ROBBER who pretended to have a gun and told the manager of a Worcester restaurant he was going to “blow his head off” has been jailed for four years.

James Gibson was wearing a top with the hood up when he walked past a lunchtime queue in McDonald’s in Hylton Road and put a black bag on the counter, Worcester Crown Court heard.

About 20 frightened customers looked on as he ordered shift manager Mr Martin Misiko to clear the till. Mr Misiko saw a black object sticking out of his left sleeve, Stephen Davies, prosecuting, told the court. He thought it was a gun when Gibson swore at him and said “Empty the till or I’ll blow your head off.” Mr Misiko was “terrified” and put his hands up. He then open opened the till and Gibson left with £206 but police spotted the 33-year-old within five minutes as he was heading across Worcester bridge. Other officers were called and one of them saw Gibson at a window at his home address nearby in Warmstry Court, South Quay. Because it was an armed robbery call, a police dog was brought in and Gibson was arrested shortly after the incident at about 2.20pm on April 9 this year.

Two screwdrivers were found in his possession and it was the end of one of these that he had pretended was a gun. He told police that voices in his head had told him to do it.

Mr Davies asked the court to praise an 11-year-old boy who was nearest the counter for his public spiritedness as he stayed calm enough to be one of the people who gave an effective description to the police.

Barry Newton, defending, said it was a “desperate act” and it had caused considerable concern to people in the restaurant.

Gibson, who had 57 convictions for 109 offences, was under the influence of a substance at the time. He was not regarded as a dangerous offender and only two of his previous convictions were for violence, the rest for dishonesty, Mr Newton said.

Gibson, who was in breach of an anti-social behaviour order, had been receiving ongoing treatment for psychiatric problems and a psychiatric report was handed in.

Judge Robert Juckes said it was a serious offence. Gibson, he said, had given the impression he had a gun and was prepared to blow the manager’s head off with it. He said Gibson had not yet seen the wisdom of changing the course of his life.

Gibson pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to robbery and possessing an imitation firearm. He was jailed for four years on each charge to run concurrently, less 127 days he has already spent in custody.