A man has been jailed for six years for holding up a travel agents in Brighton.
Ian Jowett, 55, of no fixed address, escaped with £1,700 from the Tui branch in North Street, Brighton, after pointing what appeared to be a gun at staff member Michelle Kirkham.
Jowett was jailed by Judge Christine Laing, the honorary recorder of Brighton and Hove, at Lewes Crown Court for the robbery which happened almost three years ago.
He fled abroad where he was jailed after committing similar crimes in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Sussex Police said: “A man who robbed a travel agents while claiming to be in possession of a gun has been jailed.
“Police were alerted to the incident at Tui, in North Street, Brighton, on the morning of Monday 22 October 2018.
“A man entered the premises and approached the counter with a piece of paper that was hand-written with the message: ‘Pass the money. I am not joking. I have a gun pointed at you. Don’t mess about.’
“The member of staff, believing it was a genuine threat, proceeded to hand over a quantity of cash before the suspect calmly left the store.
“Inquiries revealed the man had entered a nearby pub shortly after the incident, where he left his bag containing personal papers including his birth certificate.
“It also contained some rolled up paper, believed to be used to imitate a gun in his pocket.
“The man was identified as Ian Jowett, 55, from Peterborough.
“A few days later, he left the country, boarding a ferry from Hull to Rotterdam.
“He committed similar offences in the Netherlands and Belgium, where he was imprisoned for robbery.
“After serving his sentence, he returned to the UK where he was arrested and charged with robbery, and put before the courts.
“He pleaded guilty, and at Lewes Crown Court on Friday 30 July, he was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.”
The investigating officer, Detective Constable Dan Aubrey-Smith, said: “This has been a long and complex investigation – not helped by Jowett’s attempts to evade capture – but one which we were determined to see through.
“Anyone caught and convicted of such an offence can expect to face the full force of the law.”
Only he did not receive the full force of the law. Six years is ludicrous! It should be at least ten.
But, but, but, why did it take nearly three years to come to court?
Also, he’ll probably get a 50% discount.