Post Office robber jailed

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A glove carrying a teenage robber's DNA helped police place him at the scene, a court has heard.

The 17-year-old was arrested after discarding a glove in a bush near the scene of the incident at Grafty Green post office in Headcorn Road on November 23, 2011.

The youth from London was arrested after DNA on the glove was found to match his, as well as phone records which placed him at the scene.

More than £5,500 was taken during the robbery, during which a post office worker was hit three times in the face.

Christopher Wiliams, 20 from Dunton Road, Lambeth was jailed in February for four and half years for his part in the robbery.

As Williams made off, a member of the public was able to note the registration plate of the car he was in. Within an hour of the offence being reported, the suspect car was spotted in Quarry Road, Maidstone, where Williams was arrested.

The 17-year-old, who was 16 at the time of the offence, also made off but officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate tracked him down to London where he was arrested and later charged. He was also seen on CCTV. He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

Appearing before Maidstone Crown Court today (Friday), he was sentenced to two years in a Young Offenders Institute.

DS Adam Marshall said: “'This was a violent crime, fuelled by greed, which stunned a quiet village post office. Despite their ordeal, the employees were quick to provide us with the registration plate of a car that left the scene.

“It was a complex case involving multiple offenders and thanks to the hard work of the case officer DC Richard Dorey, the offenders have been brought to justice and I hope pleases and reassures the people of Grafty Green.”