Pair jailed for £24k post office robbery

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http://www.thisischeshire.co.uk/news/wa ... obbery.php

TWO prolific criminals have been jailed for robbery after stealing more than £24,000 from a post office delivery officer.

Steven Dodd, aged 44, of Moss Lane, Partington, and Nazzareno Abela, aged 40, of Linnet Grove, Birchwood, were sentenced at Warrington Crown Court on Friday for the raid at the Spar Shop in Gorse Covert on April 27.

The court heard that Abela acted as getaway driver while Dodd, who has a history of inflicting violence on security guards, pointed an imitation firearm at the head of Jeremy Wright who was transporting large amounts of money to and from the shop.
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Prosecuting, Simon Medland, said: "The robbery was planned and Dodd threatened fatal force.

"It was a prolonged attack and there was considerable tenacity in obtaining the money."

Dodd entered the shop and pulled on a face mask while Abela lay in wait in a white Kia Pride in the car park.

The court heard the duo was caught following a description in the Warrington Guardian of the get-away car where DNA was discovered.

Dodd, who pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of an imitation firearm and class A drugs has 35 previous convictions, including slashing someone's throat with a cut throat razor, striking a security guard with a crowbar and hitting a man over the head with a machete.

His defence lawyer, Brian Jones, said: "The defendant acknowledges this is a very serious offence that must have an ongoing effect on the complainant."

Mr Jones moved for the imprisonment of his client on the grounds of public protection.

Judge Janet Case handed Dodd an 11-year prison sentence, saying: "You are a prolific offender of crime using serious violence and are a high risk to the public."

Father-of-two Abela , who has 49 offences of lesser severity than Dodd, was found guilty by jury of robbery and possession of class A drugs.

His defence lawyer, Sarah Johnston, said: "His offences are to fund a long-standing addiction to heroin.

"He did not know about the possession of the firearm until he read about it in the local press."

Judge Case imposed an eight-year sentence on Abela, saying: "You must have contemplated some force would have been used by Dodd."

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His defence lawyer, Sarah Johnston, said: "His offences are to fund a long-standing addiction to heroin.

If that's true and putting my Thatcherite head on they should go down for longer, or put into a compulsory detox program.