Two men have been jailed for carrying out a terrifying robbery at a County Durham petrol station where a lone-female worker was sprayed in the face with an unknown liquid.
Callum Grice, 24, and Alan Lawrence, 32, raided the Esso petrol station on Stockton Road in Seaham in the early hours of January 23, before making off with a bag full of cigarettes, vapes, and around £200 cash from two tills. Lawrence, who took a lead role in the robbery, sprayed the lone-female shop worker in the face with an "unknown liquid" during the incident, leaving her terrified it was a dangerous substance.
Lawrence pleaded guilty to having an offensive weapon, namely a bottle containing ammonia, at a previous hearing on the basis that he did not accept the substance was ammonia, but in fact "hand sanitiser". Grice, who played a "walk-on part", in the robbery, was holding a baton and stood in the doorway of the station during the incident. Both men appeared at Durham Crown Court on Thursday, via link from HMP Durham to be sentenced for robbery. Grice was also sentenced for possessing a prohibited weapon, with Lawrence also being sentenced for possession of an imitation firearm.
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Paul Abrahams, prosecuting, said a female shop worker was working her shift alone between 10pm and 6am at the Esso garage when Grice and Lawrence entered at around 4am. He said: "The woman recognised Lawrence, who walked towards the counter and squirted a liquid which hit her in the face and caused a tingling and burning sensation. She told him that he did not have to do that and Lawrence apologised, saying, 'It's OK, I've watered it down.'"
Mr Abrahams said that Lawrence, who was on licence at the time, began shouting at the woman, telling her to open the till, before he took money which amounted to around £100 to £200. He also stole 40 packets of cigarettes, which were put in a black bag, as well as a till drawer - which he'd ripped out. Lawrence then shouted to Grice to steal vapes and the pair fled.
The duo were soon arrested after police recognised Lawrence from the Esso garage CCTV, and they were found hiding nearby in bushes by a bus stop. A BB gun was also found nearby, which had Lawrence's DNA on the trigger and a baton was found. When Grice was searched, he was found in possession of a Taser disguised as a torch. Mr Abrahams added that tests were carried out on the liquid that Lawrence sprayed in the worker's face, but it was unknown as to what it was.
John Crawford, defending Lawrence, who had 44 previous convictions, said he shows a "genuine degree of remorse" for what the shop worker had to go through and said he committed the robbery when he had "little in the way of stability". He said Lawrence has a personality disorder and "is someone who has difficulties in that respect". Speaking directly to the court, Lawrence apologised to the shop worker, but added, "everything else I did, I do not care, I'm not bothered".
Rod Hunt, defending Grice, said: "He had somewhat of a walk on part in this robbery and has never really given an appropriate answer as to why he took part. He is coming to terms with what he's done and wants to begin his sentence and end it as soon as possible. He understands he's really messed his life up and apologises to the lady in the shop. It is something he can't take back."
Sentencing the pair, Judge Ray Singh, jailed Grice, of Margaret Street, Seaham, for 51 months, and jailed Lawrence, of no fixed address, for 63 months.
