11:26am Friday 29th June 2012
AN OLDBURY criminal planned and carried out a string of violent robberies from betting shops across the West Midlands.
Richard Jarrett, aged 35, was finally apprehended by the police and was sentenced to nine years in jail this week.
"These were well planned and concentrated robberies," Judge Amjad Nawaz told Richard Jarrett. "A significant degree of violence was used."
He told Jarrett and 34-year-old Derek Batson who was his accomplice on one of the robberies, "The saving grace is that no weapons were used."
The Judge added at Wolverhampton Crown Court, "But injury was caused and a substantial degree of fear must have been engendered."
Jarrett of Ball Street admitted four robberies while Batson of Gough Road, Edgbaston pleaded guilty to one robbery and he was jailed for five years.
Mr Bernard Linnemann prosecuting said, "These offences were clearly well planned and cash-rich businesses were targeted.
It was an organised series of robberies."
The first robbery took place at Labrokes in Wood Lane, West Bromwich when £3,564 was taken from a safe along with £250 from a till when three hooded men burst into the premises.
A Labrokes betting shop in Coventry Road, Birmingham was then attacked and 61 year old Jean Jones was thrown to the floor and dragged to the safe by the gang who took a total of £400.
The third robbery was on a Labrokes shops in Hagley Road when £500 was taken with the Wood Lane shop being attacked for a second time when £300 was stolen.
Mr Linnemann told the court that no weapons were used by the robbers and Jarrett and Batson were both arrested after a car registration number was spotted on CCTV at the scene of one of the crimes.
The Judge was told Jarrett had a number of previous convictions for offences including assault and robbery while Batson had drugs offences and assault on his criminal record.
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