Man who admitted knifepoint Brackley shop robbery jailed for 44 months

Royston Woodford was captured on CCTV entering the Brackley store with his coat over his head.

A man who admitted the knifepoint robbery of a Brackley shop has been sentenced to almost four years’ imprisonment.

Royston Woodford, aged 42, admitted entering the Co-op store in High Street on April 4 and using a knife to threaten the cashier in order to steal around £265.

During the incident, Woodford kept a coat over his head and face, approaching the tills and pulling a carving knife from his waistband as he demanded money from staff.

He was identified following a Northamptonshire Police investigation and entered a guilty plea during a court appearance on June 5.

At Northampton Crown Court on Friday, August 4, Woodford was sentenced to 44 months imprisonment for one count of robbery, and ordered to pay a £228 victim surcharge.

Woodford, of West Street, Buckingham, was also sentenced to six months imprisonment, to be served concurrently, for possession of a bladed article in a public place.

Investigating officer Detective Constable John Cordner, of the Force’s CID West, said: “This was clearly a premeditated offence, in which Royston Woodford decided his own desire for money was more important than the safety of other people.

“Prior to the robbery, CCTV showed him walking from Brackley town park and sitting opposite the store, all with his coat over his head, before he went in and used a knife to threaten the staff.

“Tackling serious violence, including robbery, is a matter of priority for our force and I am glad this investigation has resulted in a decent custodial sentence. I hope this acts as a warning to anyone who may be tempted to use or threaten force to take what isn’t theirs that both the police and the courts take this type of offending very seriously.”

During the incident, Woodford approached the tills with his coat still over his head and produced a knife from his waistband to threaten staff.