A man went on a four day crime frenzy, in which he held up a McDonald's and a Tesco, carjacked a woman and smashed a Maserati. Craig Jennison, 34, was sentenced to nine years in prison for his catalogue of crimes over a shockingly short period, reports Hull Live.
Jennison is back behind bars after almost two decades of terrorising the public with violence and robbery, with little regard for his predominately female victims. Hull Crown court heard the career criminals latest exploits involving hold-ups, an attempted car-jacking, threats to kidnap a stranger and smashing up a sports car.
The wave of offences began on July 13, with the 34-year-old walking into a McDonald's restaurant in Hull holding a hammer. Giles Bridge, prosecuting, said Jennison shouted at workers "Open the tills" and "You have five seconds to open the till or I'll smash you over the head."
The defendant held the hammer to a female staff member's face and began counting down from five. He then threatened to smash the woman's face in.
Jennison pulled the till drawer off the counter, which contained around £600 cash. The woman fled and Jennison left with the till, which was found by a police dog handler in a nearby field.
On the same day, Jennison approached woman sitting in her vehicle at a car park saying: "Sorry, love, I need your car. Get out.
"I need your f***ing car. I need it. Get away. I'm up for murder."
He later told her: "Look, love, I really don't want to hurt you. If I have to, I will. I really need your car."
She ran away from Jennison screaming for help before speaking to another drive. Jennison shouted that she was a "f***ing stupid b***h" and "I'll have you for this" before he made off.
The next day, Jennison visited a Tesco Express in Hull, at around 11.18pm, whilst the store was closing up. He was once again carrying a hammer and told two female staff members: "Get inside and lock the door."
He apologised for his actions but told them to empty the tills. He stole around £200 from a till and pinched a bottle of whisky. The 34-year-old then ordered one of the terrified women to open a second till while the other opened a cigarette counter.
Jennison then took out a bag, which he stuffed the cash and cigarettes into. Mr Bridge stated after that is when the previously apologetic robber switched on the two terrified employees.
He said: "The defendant accused both women of having pressed alarms. He threatened to kidnap them and said that one of them would get hurt and, if he went down, they would all go down.
"These threats made both women more scared."
Jennison took cigarettes from a second counter and he put cash from the second till into the bag. The alarm went off as he left and he ran off.
On July 16, Jennison stole a rucksack from a woman's parked car, at 11.17am after smashing a window and leaning in. About six hours later, police were called to Kelgate Close, Hull, at 5.30pm after Jennison stood on the roof of a garage shouting about calling the armed police.
Police arrived and he started to kick and move tiles on the roof, with Mr Bridge claiming the defendant was refusing to get off the property. He said: "The defendant said he would not get off the roof because he was going to prison for a long time."
Jennison demanded cigarettes and a drink but he was told that he would have to come off the roof. He threw ridge tiles at a Maserati sports car and Vauxhall Corsa, valued at £19,000 and £4,750 respectively, damaging them beyond repair.
The Maserati's roof was caved in and the rear window was smashed. The Corsa's windscreen was smashed and there was a hole in the bonnet.
When a resident told him to cease his actions, he said: "You what, you p***k? I'm going to come through that window and kidnap you." The stand-off continued until 8pm when a team of police in public order kit arrived.
Jennison then eventually came down from the rooftop voluntarily at 8.30pm and he was arrested. Mr Bridge says residents in the area had to stay indoors for the entirety of the incident for their 'own safety'
He said: "The incident lasted three hours and caused residents to remain in their houses for that time for their own safety."
"The defendant had thrown eight to 10 roof tiles down off the roof, refused to engage with the police negotiators and made threats to others."
Judge Sophie McKone said of the Tesco Express robbery: "There must have been an element of planning to arm yourself with a weapon and go at the end of the day when there were likely to be fewer customers and workers. It must have been very frightening for the women who worked there.
"You are, to put it simply, dangerous. Although these are very serious offences, no actual violence was used."
Jennison admitted two offences of robbery and others of attempted robbery, theft, causing criminal damage and causing a public nuisance. He was jailed for nine years and will be on extended licence of five years after his release from prison.
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