A 31-year-old man who took part in a knifepoint robbery at a Suffolk store during which two female assistants were told they would be stabbed if they didn’t do as they were told has been jailed for five years.
Sentencing Jordan Carr, who has a previous conviction for robbery, Judge David Goodin described him as dangerous and said he and his accomplice had terrified the two women.
Ipswich Crown Court heard that the two assistants had just unlocked doors at Tesco Express in Lawson Place Bury St Edmunds at around 5.15am on March 23 when they were confronted by two men with their faces covered and carrying kitchen knives.
One of the men grabbed one of the frightened women and took her to an office where the safe was kept.
Carr had stayed downstairs with the other woman and told her to remove money from the tills, said Edward Hollingsworth, prosecuting.
She later told police Carr was less aggressive than his unknown accomplice who had held a knife at her colleague’s throat.
The men stole £1,640 from a coin safe and £600 from tills and before making their getaway in a Suzuki belonging to one of the women they took their phones and made them get into a lift.
In victim impact statements read to the court one of the woman described having her hair pulled and said that Carr’s accomplice had threatened to stab them if they didn’t do as they were told.
The other woman said she had feared for her and her friend’s lives during the robbery and they had both suffered ongoing effects from what happened.
Carr, 31, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to robbery at Tesco Express and being carried in a car taken without consent.
He also asked for two offences of shoplifting from Sainsbury’s in Bedingfield Way, Bury St Edmunds, and having a knife to be considered.
In addition to jailing Carr, Judge Goodin imposed an extended licence period of 12 months.
Ian James, for Carr, said his client was remorseful for committing the offences and was determined to change his ways.
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