Armed robber 'threatened staff with pool cue after drugs ran out'

Jack Burrell broke the door on the way into the shop, which prevented him from leaving easily after his attempted robbery failed

A man who threatened shop staff with a snooker cue in an attempted robbery has been jailed for two years.

Jack Burrell "aggressively" approached staff at the Local 4U store on Hucknall Road, Bulwell, on 28 December 2019, but they refused to open the till.

Nottinghamshire Police said he had spent £150 on cocaine that day and "didn't have the means" to buy more.

The 19-year-old, from Eversley Walk, Bestwood Park, admitted attempted robbery and possessing Class A drugs.

He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday.

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A police statement said Burrell attempted to leave the premises after staff refused to hand him money, but he could not get out after breaking the shop door on his way in.

After he exited the building a delivery driver chased him and pinned him down outside a nearby takeaway until police arrived.

Nobody was injured, and Det Sgt Jon Kerry praised the "brave" member of the public who stepped in.

"Burrell decided to threaten shop workers with a weapon simply because he wanted to buy some more drugs and didn't have the means to buy any," he said.

"These are people who are serving the public and should never have to face that kind of abuse and fear."