The terrified shop assistant said she was ‘worried that my son would not have a mum’
Ashley Irwin admitted offences of robbery and causing criminal damage (Image: Humberside Police)
A Tesco shop assistant was left terrified when a hooded armed robber threatened her with a knife. A judge praised the woman for her “great fortitude” in raising the alarm by pressing a panic button under the counter of the Tesco Express in Boothferry Road, west Hull, a court heard.
Ashley Irwin, 34, of Bloomfield Avenue, off Willerby Road, west Hull, admitted offences of robbery and causing criminal damage on June 28 this year. Claire Anderson, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that a shop assistant was serving an elderly customer in the Boothferry Road Tesco Express when Irwin demanded money from the till. He was holding a knife with a six-inch blade and demanded the assistant open the till. She moved away in fear. Irwin told her: “I did not want to get this rough.”
He continued to conceal his face under the hood by pulling the draw strings down. She opened the till and he grabbed cash from inside.
The armed robber then demanded money from a second till and began shouting at the assistant. She explained that the till would not open while the first till was still logged on. “She was concerned he would harm her,” said Miss Anderson. Irwin threatened the woman with the knife and she opened the second till.
Irwin also grabbed cigarettes from a unit. The shop assistant was able to also press the panic button, which alerted other staff in the store.
A Humberside Police officer arrived at 10.06pm and found cash and coins and cigarettes strewn on the floor. A plastic bag was forensically examined and it had a fingerprint, which matched Irwin. He was arrested on June 30.
The shop assistant said she was in shock and could not believe she was threatened with a knife. “I was worried that my son would not have a mum,” she said.
Shortly before that incident, Irwin went to the home of a woman and banged on her door at about 9.30pm. When the woman answered, Irwin became abusive and accused her of providing CCTV from her property to police in an investigation.
“He shouted at her that she was a grass and liar,” said Miss Anderson. He demanded to know which of the parked cars outside was hers. He later kicked at one of the cars and tried to rip off a wing mirror, causing £300 damage.
The woman later said that she still felt worried when she heard noises at night. Irwin had convictions for 55 previous offences, including thefts and burglaries.
Rachel Scott, mitigating, said that Irwin’s father had submitted a heartfelt letter describing another side to his son when he was not on drugs.
“He was reliant on drugs and alcohol and consumed large amounts of alcohol and had a £100-a-day cocaine habit,” said Miss Scott.
“He was in debt.” She added that Irwin did not remember what he did as it followed a two-day, drug and alcohol binge.
Recorder Peter Makepeace KC said the shop assistant was “terrified.” He added: “With great fortitude, she raised the alarm. You were losing control and presented a real danger. You caused complete fear.”
Irwin was jailed for three years and eight months.
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