'Stupid' robber held up Kettering bookies at knifepoint and left worker terrified

“You’re not going to get away with this.”

The brave words of a terrified Betfred worker as Robert Howieson robbed her Kettering store at knifepoint.

And she was right – because he is now starting a prison sentence.

The 41-year-old was a regular at the Silver Street bookies, made no effort to change his appearance and even ‘rather stupidly’ told a casual acquaintance that he had just carried out the robbery on October 29 last year, Northampton Crown Court heard on Friday (February 16).

He entered the store at about 1pm and placed several bets before approaching the counter at about 2.45pm and passing his victim a Morrisons bag.

Prosecutor Sinjin Bulbring said: “He said to put money in the bag before pulling out a knife from his waistband.

“She responded saying ‘really, are you joking?’

“She told him there was nothing in the safe and the till was locked.”

But this did not stop Howieson, who has 131 previous offences on his criminal record.

He told the store worker: “I do not care, put the money in the bag.

"If you do not I will jump over the counter and do it myself.”

Howieson, of Rockingham Road in Kettering, took all of the notes from the till and put £430 in the bag as the victim told him he wouldn’t get away with the terrifying crime.

He asked her if she had pressed ‘the button’ – meaning the panic alarm – and fled when she told him she had.

CCTV of the incident was shown in court showing Howieson at the counter with the knife.

The court heard that armed police were later deployed to his home and found the bag with the knife in, but Howieson was not there.

He was arrested the following day when police visisted his address again and later admitted robbery and possession of a bladed article in public.

Howieson, who appeared at court over videolink from HMP Peterborough, said to officers: “Can I get all my clothes please? I am going to prison.

"It’s the drugs, they make me do silly things.”

Mr Bulbring told the court that, in a victim impact statement written in the days after the robbery, the Betfred worker said she was terrified and unable to sleep or eat.

She was also having flashbacks, didn’t feel safe leaving the house and was extremely nervous when working.

Mr Bulbring said: “She was, in her own words, a mess.”

Mitigating, Ammolak Bains said it was an ‘unsophisticated crime’ and that Howieson had expressed remorse.

He said: “He never intended to hurt anyone but accepts that his victim would not have been aware of that at the time.”

Mr Bains added that there is a link between alcohol and Howieson’s offending, something that he needs to address.

He said: “He is the first to accept that his offending is unacceptable. He is deeply ashamed by what he has done in the past.”

Recorder Louise Cox imposed an extended sentence to protect the public in the future because she found Howieson to be dangerous.

He was sentenced to four years in prison, of which he must serve two-thirds in custody before a parole board can consider if he is safe to be released.

When he is released he will spend the remainder of his sentence on licence, plus an extra two years of extended licence. Breaching the terms of his licence could mean he then has to spend the rest of his sentence behind bars.

Recorder Cox said: “These offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified.”