Thorpe post office raider was out on release

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A robber armed with an imitation firearm escaped with more than £2,000 after holding up a Norfolk sub- post office.

James Hall, 35, pointed the BB gun at terrified staff at Thunder Lane Post Office in Thorpe, Norwich, and forced sub-postmaster Neil Gurney to hand over £2,010 in cash from the till before making his getaway.

Norwich Crown Court heard Hall been made subject to a hospital order in 1999 after he attacked his girlfriend with a knife and had been out on release when he committed the robbery in September last year.

Chris Youell, prosecuting, said Hall walked into the post office with his hood up and pointed the imitation gun at staff telling them it was a "stick up".

He said Hall cocked the gun which had a "realistic mechanism". The incident was captured on CCTV and played in court. It showed the sub- postmaster and his female assistant being terrified by Hall when he pointed the gun at them. The woman cowered under the counter while Mr Gurney handed over the cash.

In an impact statement, Mr Gurney said he had become more nervous as a result of what happened and was now less trusting of people.

His female assistant also said she had become full of anxiety after the robbery which had changed her life.

Armed officers arrested Hall at an address at Redfern Road on the Heartsease estate in Norwich. Only £29 in cash was recovered as Hall told police he owed people money.

Mr Youell said Hall spent a lot of cash on amphetamines.

Hall admitted the robbery last September 10 but his sentencing was adjourned for further reports to assess how dangerous he is.

The court heard he had previous convictions for violence including an incident in 1999 when he stabbed his girlfriend in the neck, nearly killing her, and was made subject to a hospital order.