Masked raiders snatched £800 cash and 50 packs of cigarettes during terrifying Pudsey Morrison's robbery
A gang of masked robbers burst into a Morrisons convenience store in Pudsey and threatened a terrified worker with a knife.
The three got away with between £800 and £1,000 in cash and around 50 packets of cigarettes in what Leeds Crown Court was told was a “smash and grab” raid.
But all were quickly arrested through their DNA being left behind and officers recognising them over the store’s CCTV.
Victor Heinemann, Shafiq Azam and Matthew Ingham all admitted a charge of robbery. Ingham admitted a second charge of robbery of a pub.
They entered the Morrisons Daily on Bradford Road in Stanningley at around 9.30pm on August 10 last year.
Wearing masks, they went straight to the counter and demanded the worker hand over cash.
Prosecutor David Wood said 51-year-old Heinemann broke through the plastic barrier separating the counter area and told the worker he had a knife.
Ingham, 32, shoved the worker and grabbed money from the till.
Azam, 46, was originally thought to be the lookout but followed the others and filled the bag with the packets of cigarettes, before all three fled.
It was heard that the two Morrisons workers from that evening have since left their jobs over safety fears.
Meanwhile, Ingham also admitted raiding a pub in Bradford on September 7 last year.
Ingham entered the premises at closing time and pulled a balaclava over his face, demanding money. He went behind the bar and tried to open the till himself, barging a staff member out of the way.
Struggling to get into the device, he ripped it from a worker’s hands and left.
There was no money in the till at the time. It was later found dumped in an alleyway covered in his fingerprints. He was arrested and gave a no-comment interview.
All three defendants appeared in court over a video link from HMP Leeds, where they were being held on remand.
Ingham, of no fixed address, has 29 previous convictions including drugs offences and robbery.
Mitigating on his behalf, Jonathan Turner said his life derailed after the death of his partner. He had held down a job until then but became involved in drugs.
He said Ingham was spending up to £200 a day on his habit, but was now on a methadone programme to reduce his need for heroin.
Mr Turner said: “He has expressed remorse. He is genuinely regretful in the way he has impacted others.”
Azam, also of no fixed address, has 20 previous offences to his name, including violence and theft.
Represented by Rodney Ferm, he said Azam’s life had also been “blighted” by drugs.
Pointing to his lack of robbery offences on his record, he said it was “somewhat out of character”.
Mr Ferm added: “He is full of remorse for what he has done. The offence was driven by addiction, craving and then desperation.”
Mitigating, Hana Ahmed said he too had suffered a bereavement after his sister took her own life, which triggered a relapse in his drug use.
She said he had “significant remorse” for his actions.
Judge Tom Bayliss KC told them: “All of you are mature men. This was plainly planned - the three of you were wearing balaclavas.
“I accept it was driven by drugs, as these offences so often are. All of you have difficulties with drugs.
“It’s quite clear that’s what led to this.
“The impact on both men [working in Morrisons] has been great. Both have since left because they do not feel safe.”
He jailed Azam and Heinemann for 45 months, with Ingham receiving a 54-month sentence.