12:10pm Saturday 28th January 2012
By World reporter
AN armed robber who held up an Runcorn off licence with an imitation gun has been jailed for four years.
Carl Beardwood, aged 29, burst into Bargain Booze in Church Street, on September 16, 2011, and pointed the weapon at a terrified woman.
Damian Webb, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday: “He walked towards the female assistant and she saw he has holding a gun in his left arm and his arm was held out in front of him.
"He walked straight towards her with the gun pointing in her direction, she was kneeling on the floor. He calmly said 'open the safe, give me money."
She did not know where the keys were but a colleague found them and after the safe was opened he left with about £800.
The raid has left the assistant scared and shaken and fearful of working late shifts.
Beardwood, of Essex Road, Huyton, was wearing dark clothing with his hood pulled up, when he broke into the off licence through an open security door and went straight behind the counter.
He admitted two robberies, one attempted robbery and three offences of possessing an imitation firearm.
Earlier on the same day, he burst into William Hills in Page Moss and passed a note to the female cashier demanding money and threatening to "blow your head off" and she saw he had a gun.
She handed him £320 and he left.
The next afternoon Beardwood went into William Hills in Huyton and holding a ball bearing gun, demanded cash but left empty handed.
Beardwood, who started offending when he was 15, was abusive when he was arrested.
Jailing Beardwood, Judge Stephen Clarke said that he had tried to disguise himself and his vulnerable victims had been left afraid. He had reinforced his demands with an imitation gun.
The court heard that Beardwood had been leading a chaotic life style, drinking too much and he had also taken drugs and had partial amnesia about the events.
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