A convicted robber who had recently finished a prison sentence went on a drugs "bender" and robbed another shop. And now he's behind bars again.
Marc Coles was just clear of a 56-month term for robbing the Spar in Filton Avenue of £2,500, Bristol Crown Court heard. But after binging on valium and crack cocaine he committed a similar early morning raid on Tesco Express in Marlborough Street, Bristol.
Coles, 44, of Horton Street in St Philips, pleaded guilty to robbery on October 9 last year. The recorder Mr Leslie Cuthbert handed him an extended sentence of 100 months, comprising of 64 months' jail and 36 months' extended licence.
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The recorder told him: "You chose to deliberately enter a Tesco store carrying a screwdriver and threatened to stab staff if you didn't get access to the till. It showed a degree of planning and was similar to your robbery from 2017."
Mandla Ndlovu, prosecuting, said Coles entered the shop at 6am with a black scarf covering half his face. After pushing his way in the till area he threatened to stab staff with a screwdriver he was holding.
Terrified staff pushed the panic button and fled as Coles tried to force open tills. Having managed to steal £325 he left the store, police were called in and officers identified him via CCTV and arrested him.
Katie Jenkins, defending, said: "He had been out of custody for 10 days. He started dabbling (in drugs) again and he was on a bender, having taken valium and crack cocaine."
Miss Jenkins told the court her client had landed a job in Wiltshire but work dried up, he returned to Bristol, his life unravelled and he had been recalled to serve the remainder of his previuous sentence.
She said: "Within a short time of being released again he failed. He was released into a shared house, he did not have much support and he was struggling from the off."
Miss Jenkins said her remorseful client realised his actions were "very frightening and wholly unacceptable". She added: "He knows he is looking at another lengthy sentence and he only has himself to blame for that."
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