Devon man jailed for armed robbery

Dennis Ham senteced to four years

A Devon man has been jailed to four years for robbing a local shop at knifepoint.

30-year-old Dennis Ham, of Hyde Road in Paignton held up a Costcutters store during the morning of Friday 28 February.

Mr Ham appeared at Exeter Crown Court for sentence on Thursday 1 May after pleading guilty to robbery and possession of a bladed article in a public place.

The court heard how he entered the store at around 7 o'clock in the morning and said that he’d come to take the money out of the till and that he was armed.

Initially the member of staff present thought Dennis Ham was joking as she knew him as a regular customer, but soon realised his intentions when he pointed a kitchen knife with a 12” blade in her direction.

The staff member froze, and Mr Ham went behind the counter and stole money from a till. He also made an unsuccessful attempt to steal from a second till, but it would not open.

He then left the store and went to Costa Coffee and approached a group of three men having a drink outside. Ham asked them if they knew of any sex offenders that wanted taking out and showed them the knife in his waistband.

He was later arrested and he told officers in an interview he couldn’t remember events as he’d drank large amounts of alcohol and consumed drugs overnight.

Detective Constable Jake Woodbridge said: “The robbery was a truly terrifying ordeal for the member of staff present in the shop at the time, and I have no doubt it will continue to have a considerable psychological impact on her.

“Mr Ham chose to abuse alcohol and drugs before pointing a knife at a woman who was simply trying to do her job.

“He then showed a knife to three members of the public who were minding their own business.

“Anybody who carries a knife in public is endangering the lives of all who they come into contact with, and I welcome the sentence given to Ham.”