A man who threatened a shop worker with a pair of scissors during a robbery in Cardiff has been jailed. Ashley Eadie, 32, of no fixed abode, entered the Rumney service station on the morning of April 19 and demanded money from the till.
Robbery at Rumney service station
Cardiff Crown Court heard that Eadie, under the influence of drugs, approached the counter at around 7.30am. He wore a hoodie, dark glasses, and covered his face. He then produced a pair of scissors and pointed them at the shop worker, saying: "Give all the money in the till."
The shop worker later told police: "I have never experienced anything like this before. It shook me to my core and I was still shaking when the police arrived at the scene." During the incident, Eadie apologised, saying: "Sorry I don't want to do this," and claimed that if he didn't take the money, "they" would kill him. He left with £100, which the court noted had a minimal effect on the business.
Eadie hands himself in
The following day, Eadie surrendered to police, stating he had committed the robbery but could not live with what he had done. Kevin Seal, representing Eadie, said his client had reached the lowest point of his drug addiction at the time but had sought help for his issues with drugs and alcohol while in custody. "He was genuinely remorseful both at the time and the day after when he handed himself in to the police," Mr Seal added.
Judge Carl Harrison remarked: "You were repeatedly apologising to him but it didn't stop you doing what you were doing." The court heard Eadie had five previous convictions for eight offences between 2010 and 2022, which the judge described as being "of a different nature."
Sentence
Eadie pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and one of possession of a bladed article. Judge Harrison sentenced him to two years and eight months, of which he will serve up to half in custody and the remainder on licence. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228 within six months of his release. Judge Harrison added: "I hope your remorse is a turning point for you."
