Two-year jail term for man who raided bookies is a ‘disgrace’ (From Worcester News)
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Two-year jail term for man who raided bookies is a ‘disgrace’
9:30am Saturday 18th August 2012 in Worcester
AN armed robber who raided two bookmakers in Worcester has been sentenced to only two years in prison, which has disgusted one of his victims.
Paul Donovan, aged 35, of George Street, Worcester, threatened staff with what they believed was a handgun and made off with £835 in the “distressing” raids within days of each other at two city betting shops.
Donovan was sentenced at Hereford Crown Court, on Thursday by judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins after admitting both robberies.
He was sentenced to two years for each but will serve them concurrently.
The first raid took place at Backhouse Bet in Angel Street, Worcester, at 5.20pm on Monday, March 26 and the second at Ladbrokes in Derwent Close, Brickfields, Worcester at about 3.50pm on Tuesday, April 3.
Ladbrokes cashier David Burt was not present at the time of the raid but knows the victim, who no longer works there, and spoke to her yesterday.
He said: “Two years is no deterrent at all. He will probably be out in six months for good behaviour. If he gets desperate what’s going to happen? The woman who was in when the robbery happened has told me the sentence is an absolute disgrace. She was quite disgusted by it.”
Donovan was described by police as “calm and controlled” during the robberies, which were captured on CCTV.
Detective Constable Kirsty Hickling said: “These robberies had an impact on the communities around Angel Street and Warndon, not least among local bookmakers, who were on alert in case any further offences occurred.
“Armed robbery is a very serious crime because of the impact it has on its victims. Donovan claimed that he used a BB gun, but we still don’t know exactly what weapon he threatened the bookmakers with because it has never been recovered.
“What is important is that the cashiers he robbed thought the gun was real and they were distressed by their experience.”
During the first robbery he walked in to the shop with what appeared to be a real gun and placed the weapon down on the counter before picking it up again and pointing it a cashier.
Donovan, who was wearing a baseball cap, then walked out of the doors with the cash and made his way along Angel Street towards the junction with Foregate Street.
During the second raid he ran off towards the junction of Furness Close and Brickfields Road.
Comments(15)
mayall8808
says...
10:19am Sat 18 Aug 12
GetReal888
says...
12:07pm Sat 18 Aug 12
From what I can see the Judge did a good job in taking in to account all the personal reasons why he did what he did.
10 years for robbing £800+ with a BB gun? Sounds like you do not live in the real world mayall8808.
mayall8808
says...
12:50pm Sat 18 Aug 12
Crime needs to be dealy with hard the first time its been committed you will then have very little repeat crime,there are no personal reasons to consider, it was a robbery and the guy knew what he was doing, SO do you GetReal888 condone what he did or do you not live in the REAL WORLD as we law abiding taxpayers who pick up the bill for these things are sick and fed up with criminals getting off to easily.
GetReal888
says...
1:19pm Sat 18 Aug 12
He didn't rob the bookies because of greed but because of desperation. The sentence reflects this.
How can you say there are no personal reasons to consider? What world do you live in, seriously?
molecat
says...
9:03pm Sat 18 Aug 12
GetReal888 wrote:Once you read a few of his comments you'll realise he lives in a world where he gets extremely angry at the lefty liberal attitude of the Daily Mail.
Do I condone it? No I do not.
He didn't rob the bookies because of greed but because of desperation. The sentence reflects this.
How can you say there are no personal reasons to consider? What world do you live in, seriously?
Maggie Would
says...
9:33pm Sat 18 Aug 12
molecat wrote:LOL that was one of your funniest Stuart.
GetReal888 wrote:Once you read a few of his comments you'll realise he lives in a world where he gets extremely angry at the lefty liberal attitude of the Daily Mail.
Do I condone it? No I do not.
He didn't rob the bookies because of greed but because of desperation. The sentence reflects this.
How can you say there are no personal reasons to consider? What world do you live in, seriously?
scolesy
says...
12:42am Sun 19 Aug 12
molecat wrote:Desperation??Despera
GetReal888 wrote:Once you read a few of his comments you'll realise he lives in a world where he gets extremely angry at the lefty liberal attitude of the Daily Mail.
Do I condone it? No I do not.
He didn't rob the bookies because of greed but because of desperation. The sentence reflects this.
How can you say there are no personal reasons to consider? What world do you live in, seriously?
tion, get really real GetReal888. He was an ARMED robber twice!!!! If he was starving there are at least five places in Worcester where they can feed you,cloth you and look after you well being.He was'nt on the streets picking up dog ends he had an address,and I bet paid for by the tax payer,me being one of them.As for personal reasons as you say HA! Another druggy or the bad child hood he had,what tosh.He stole at gun point, BB or not the person would have thought it REAL!! Armed police would have been sent and they've got REAL guns,bet your one of the ones to blabber they shot him for no reason?? Any way I'm sure there's a minimum sentence for a gun or a knife REAL or not,tell me please say if I'm wrong,,,,,.As for the sentence, well in my old eyes at least five years and 50 lashing of the birch on the day he did the robbery for all five of them,no tv, no play station and breaking rocks supper.That matey is and would be a sentence that would work. So get really REAL,,,,,.
mayall8808
says...
8:28am Sun 19 Aug 12
molecat
says...
10:32am Sun 19 Aug 12
Logging on under two different names does not necessarily mean you have friends.
mayall8808
says...
7:12pm Sun 19 Aug 12
Jannus
says...
8:42am Mon 20 Aug 12
scolesy
says...
1:32pm Mon 20 Aug 12
molecat wrote:I think the on line Editor would know,unless of course I have two PC's and two email accounts,what say you MK????
Mmm...two people who not only share the same opinions, they also exhibit exactly the same bizarre use of punctuation marks and capitalised words in the middle of sentences.
Logging on under two different names does not necessarily mean you have friends.
Cecil9995
says...
12:06am Wed 22 Aug 12
scolesy
says...
12:21pm Wed 22 Aug 12
scolesy wrote:Your letting me down Mr Editor,,,please put the record straight,,,,,remembe
molecat wrote: Mmm...two people who not only share the same opinions, they also exhibit exactly the same bizarre use of punctuation marks and capitalised words in the middle of sentences. Logging on under two different names does not necessarily mean you have friends.I think the on line Editor would know,unless of course I have two PC's and two email accounts,what say you MK????
r the fish???..by the way I have at least four friends who would lay their life for me,thats not just a friend but,,,a boot neck !!!! Once one alway's one...! May be your just a sad git.................
MakeUthink says...
9:54am Sat 18 Aug 12