A knife-wielding robber threatened a shop security guard, telling him: “Move the fuck out of the way or you’ll get poked!”
Jordan Franks, prosecuting, told Hove Crown Court that Daniel Bowler was armed with a large black-handled kitchen knife when he stole a basket of alcoholic drinks from a Tesco Metro.
As he tried to leave the shop without paying, Bowler showed the security guard the knife and said: “Let me take it. Don’t be stupid. I don’t want to use it.”
The security guard managed to grab Bowler’s wrists and push him out of the shop, recovering as many items as he could before locking the doors to keep staff and customers safe.
Sussex Police said: “A member of security staff observed his behaviour and, deeming it as suspicious, placed himself between Bowler and the shop door as Bowler attempted to leave without paying for the items.
“Bowler proceeded to threaten violence and pulled a knife from his trousers.”
The police praised the quick thinking from the security guard in ejecting Bowler from the shop while recovering as many cans of alcohol as he could before locking the doors.
Mr Franks told the court that the manager of the store, in Jubilee Street, Brighton, called the police.
Sussex Police said: “Officers arrived at the scene within five minutes of the call to find staff had secured themselves and several customers inside the store.
“After confirming that no one had been injured, officers began making initial inquiries to establish the circumstances of the incident.”
The police said that security cameras showed Bowler loading a basket with alcohol and Mr Franks said that officers recognised Bowler from the security guard’s body-worn video footage.
The robbery happened on Saturday 14 March, just eight days after Bowler was given a prison sentence of two years, suspended for two years, for strangling his ex-girlfriend last July.
Bowler, 38, was arrested for the robbery and having a knife on Saturday (21 March) and charged with both offences the next day.
He appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Monday 23 March and indicated that he would plead guilty. He was remanded in custody.
On Tuesday 9 June, having pleaded guilty to both offences, he appeared for sentence at Hove Crown Court.
He also admitted breaching the suspended sentence order that had been imposed at Lewes Crown Court by Recorder Quincy Whitaker on Friday 6 March.
Brian Shaw, defending, said that Bowler had been released from prison just eight days before he assaulted his ex-girlfriend in a row about money.
Mr Shaw said that it was a tragedy that someone of his relatively young age had spent so much of the past 25 years in the criminal justice system.
He said that his client had mental health problems, adding: “He has never fully mastered his demons which include class A drugs.”
He had “a very difficult childhood” but there was nothing in his record to suggest that he had used knives or weapons before.
Mr Franks told the court that Bowler had 42 previous convictions for 120 offences. Most were “acquisitive” involving 59 counts of theft. He had also been convicted of burglary as well as shoplifting.
The suspended sentence order imposed in March had included a requirement to undergo six months of mental health treatment. Mr Shaw said: “It’s a great shame that the mental health treatment requirement was never begun.”
Judge Jeremy Gold said that the latest offences – the robbery and having a knife – were committed just a few days after Bowler had been given a suspended prison sentence.
Judge Gold jailed Bowler for two years for robbery and for six months for having a knife in public, to be served concurrently – or at the same time.
He activated the suspended sentence in full and said that the two years would have to be served consecutively, making four years in all.
Bowler, 38, of Preston Road, Brighton, and formerly of Haybourne Road, Whitehawk, was also ordered to pay a £228 victim surcharge.
