McDonald's staff hit armed robber with chip fryer

Cameron Woodhead, 27, has been banned from every McDonald's in the Bradford district

A man who targeted the same McDonald's restaurant he had robbed five years previously to steal more money has been sent back to jail.

Cameron Woodhead, who was armed with a knife, took about £1,400 from a Bradford outlet's tills and safe in July and also threatened staff, who used a chip frying basket to fend him off.

The 27-year-old was jailed for 10 and a half years in 2019 after robbing the same branch of the fast food chain, but was released on licence in March.

Woodhead, of Idle Road, Bradford, has been recalled to jail until 2029 and was sentenced to a further five years and four months at Bradford Crown Court earlier.

'Dangerous offender'

The “dangerous offender” has also been banned from every McDonald's site in the Bradford district, the court heard.

Woodhead denied holding a knife to the female staff member's neck, but after watching CCTV footage Recorder Paul Reid said he had grabbed her and the knife was close enough to her body and neck for it to cause "considerable consternation" to her and others.

One of the female employees also suffered a cut to the hand during the incident and Woodhead himself had to be treated in hospital later for a head injury after he was struck with the chip frying basket.

He pleaded guilty to the robbery and possession of a bladed article at an earlier court hearing.

Andrew Stranex, defending Woodhead, said it was a "desperately sad case" involving a defendant who had a complex history.

He said the crimes were seen as a “win, win” situation by his client because he either got the money to spend on drugs or he would go back to jail, which he saw as a safe place.

Woodhead will also have to comply with an extended licence period of five years following any release.

The judge said the criminal behaviour order, which bans Woodhead from going into any McDonalds in the area, would be an indefinite order until further notice.

Recorder Reid added: “It is in my view the case that you are dangerous.”

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.