Bristol masked raider claims he did it for his daughter

AN armed robber who preyed on shops and a pub to raise cash for home improvements has been handed a nine-year extended sentence.

Masked Alton Watson would be holding a knife when he approached counter staff and demanded money from tills, Bristol Crown Court heard.

As he left with the loot he would say "Cheers" and "Have a nice day", and claimed he only did it to offer his three-year-old daughter a decent place to live.

Watson, 31, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to robbing Martin McColls newsagent in Mardyke Ferry Road, Hotwells, in January and March last year.

He also admitted robbing Solanki Stores in Gwilliam Street, Windmill Hill, and the Brunel pub in St John's Lane, Bedminster, in March last year.

He was due to stand trial but asked for an idea of what the sentence would be if he owned up, under the legitimate Goodyear Hearing option.

Judge Simon Darwall-Smith told him: "I gave you an indication that the sentence would be no more than nine years.

"It is right no actual violence was used, but you used fear.

"This was a campaign of knifepoint robberies against a background of similar offences, resulting in increasingly lengthy periods of imprisonment.

"There is a significant risk of you committing further knifepoint robberies and causing serious harm to members of the public."

The sentence means Watson should serve half of a seven-year term behind bars and then spend five and a half years in the community on licence.

Richard Shepherd, prosecuting, said Watson had his face covered by a grey scarf when he walked into the Martin McColls newsagent at 7.45pm, armed with a knife, and demanded "All of the notes from both tills."

He was wearing a balaclava when he entered Solanki Stores, again with a large knife, and told owner Subhash Solanki: "Give me the money".

The court heard Mr Solanki had picked up a wooden pole, but another customer dissuaded him from using it and Watson helped himself to £300.

Mr Shepherd said: "A fortnight later the defendant entered the store. He was recognised by Mr Solanki and Mr Solanki saw a smirk on his face."

The court was told masked and armed Watson then struck again at Martin McColls, plundering notes and coins from two tills and saying "Have a nice day" when he left.

His final heist was at the Brunel pub where, once again masked and armed, Watson relieved duty manager Alfie Hill-Kitcherside of hundreds of pounds in notes after asking for help to open the till.

Mr Shepherd said: "He was heard to say 'Cheers Alfie' as he left."

Watson had numerous previous convictions and was previously jailed for seven years for a knifepoint robbery.

Jon Harrison, defending, said: "His motivation was that he was given advice by the Children and Young People's Service that if he wished to house his daughter he would have to refurbish his house to a standard they found acceptable.

"He sought to satisfy that service using a means which was entirely inappropriate and catastrophic."

Mr Harrison said his client had been trying to put his life in order but made the "very disastrous and foolish choice" to get money quickly.

He said: "He denies ever intending to harm anybody."