Jail for robber who used firecracker during raid

A Douglas man has been jailed after stealing almost £1,000 during a robbery at a newsagent.

26-year-old Jamie Christopher Hall, of Christian Avenue, raided Newby’s Newsagent on Glen Falcon Road in Douglas on November 3^rd 2015.

He entered the store, dressed in a balaclava and dark clothing, just after 10pm as the lone female shop assistant was closing up – she’d just turned off the lights when he struck.  

After stealing the safe, which contained £990, he threatened the young woman telling her she would be harmed if she didn’t hand over the keys.

When she told him she didn’t have them Hall lit a firecracker firework and threw it on the floor of the shop – he then fled from the scene; everything was caught on CCTV.

Police later arrested Hall and searched his property – they recovered the safe in a communal roof space and found a bin bag of clothing matching what he’d worn on the night.

Forensic tests later confirmed Hall’s DNA was on the firecracker, his saliva on a balaclava that was recovered and fingerprints on the bin bag.

Despite this Hall maintained his innocence and was due to stand trial in February – however days before it was due to start he changed his plea and admitted the offence.

At Douglas Courthouse today his advocate said that plea “should have been entered months before” adding “he’s extremely ashamed of his conduct”.

Letters of apology, to the shop assistant and Deemster, were handed to the court with his advocate adding “Mr Hall wishes to make reparation for his terrible act”.

Sentencing Hall to two years and 11 months in prison Deemster Montgomerie told him he’d left the woman, who was in court to see Hall jailed, “extremely vulnerable”.

Adding a one year licence to the sentence he told Hall “I would have been absolutely terrified – and I’m sure she was too”; he also ordered him to pay compensation of £1,190 to the shop owner.