Hammer Raider Dropped Haul in Escape ; GAMBLER CONFESSED TO BOOKIES ROBBERY

By ROB KENNEDY

A BUNGLING hammer robber dropped most of his haul before handing himself into police.

Gambling addict Paul Knox left staff at a Tyneside bookmakers terrified when he burst in, raised the weapon above his head and demanded cash.

Workers at the bookies handed over pounds 285 but Knox dropped most of it as he fled.

Then, six hours later, he walked into a police station and told officers what he had done before taking them to bins where he had dumped the hammer and clothes worn in the raid.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Knox had targeted the bookies after racking up gambling debts of pounds 8,000 in eight months.

Jailing him for three years, Judge Esmond Faulks said: “You were armed with a large claw-hammer and jumped on to the counter and demanded money.

“It must have been a terrifying incident for the manager who felt threatened by you, by the hammer.

“You have gambling debts and because of the debts you started worrying and drinking to excess and that’s what brought about this behaviour which was out of character.”

Knox went into Chisholm Bookmakers, in Crawcrook, Gateshead, on July 3 as the manager cashed up at around 5pm.

Knox, who knew the manager, said: “Howay mate, give me your money.”

Rachel Currie, prosecuting, said: “He thought he was joking until he saw the defendant produce a large claw-hammer. He raised it above his head and said ‘I don’t want to hurt you’.

“He went forward and grabbed cash from the counter and said ‘that’s not enough’ and grabbed another box of cash.”

Knox then fled the bookies but six hours later handed himself in to police at Market Street, Newcastle.

Miss Currie said: “He took police to different bins in Newcastle city centre where he had disposed of the hammer and the hat he was wearing during the robbery.

“In interview he said he had dropped some of the cash and got away with very little.

“He said there was only pounds 35, having dropped the rest in the process of running away.”

The court heard the 31-year-old former Nissan worker, of Allendale Crescent, Penshaw, Sunderland, had turned to gambling after getting help for his drink problem.

Rachel Hedworth, defending, said: “Things took a downward turn when he was trying to rid himself of his alcohol misuse and he became involved with a gambler.

“He has a partner and a 19- month-old child and was so concerned about the situation he didn’t want to tell her he had started gambling.

“He is extremely sorry for what he has done and is desperate to lead a normal life.”

“Things took a downward turn when he was trying to rid himself of his alcohol misuse and he became involved with a gambler

(c) 2008 Evening Chronicle – Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.