Jailed for attempted armed robbery of three Derry city centre shops

A man who threatened staff with a 10-inch kitchen knife during attempted robberies at three city centre stores in one afternoon two days after arriving in the Derry has been jailed for four years at the city's Crown Court.

Caolan Shields, 33, admitted a total of seven offences including attempted robbery and possession of an offensive weapon, namely a knife.

The offences were committed on April 18 last year, two days after Shields arrived in the city to stay in a hostel after being released on bail at a Belfast court.

The offences were carried out at the Sun Rise, PJ Newsagents and Centra stores

Passing sentence, Judge Philip Babington said the effect of the offending had left staff in all three shops 'very anxious, feeling frightened and shaken.'

Judge Babington added: “As far as sentencing is concerned, robbery always constitutes serious offending although the court notes that these are attempted robberies and in some ways could be considered amateurish.

“However, Northern Ireland has many small convenience type stores which are very often staffed by just one person. That is the position in relation to the stores in this case. There is no doubt at all that the shop workers in the three stores were frightened and concerned for their safety and they were not to know exactly what a person such as the defendant, who was heavily under the influence of drugs and alcohol might do.

“The defendant also had with him and made plain a large kitchen type knife with a 10 inch blade. Stores of this type are the backbone of local communities and deserve protection from the courts.”