Armed robber jailed for four years

4:55pm Friday 9th May 2008

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A TEENAGE mum who carried out two armed robberies in two weeks at a town centre store has been jailed.

Shareen Dixon, of Drinkwater Court, Trowbridge, sobbed as a judge at Swindon crown court imposed a four year sentence on her for the knifepoint raids.

The court had earlier been told how one of the young workers had given up her job at the The Sweet Shop in Trowbridge after the terrifying robbery.

And both had been badly affected following the incidents where the 18-year-old was trying to get money to fund her heroin and crack cocaine habits.

Marion Langford, prosecuting, said the first offence took place on Friday February 22 at about 4.15pm.

A 19-year-old shop worker was left alone with the defendant after another customer left the store, she told the court.

Dixon, who was holding a Stanley knife, then walked round behind the counter and told the terrified girl to open the till.

"She told her to just give her twenties and tens and she gave her a wodge of notes," she said.

After the robber had left the store with about £200 the shop girl shut the door until someone came to her assistance.

Dixon had been arrested and questioned about the incident when she carried out the second robbery exactly two week later.

On Friday March 7 she went to the store shortly after it opened and threatened another young worker with a pair of scissors again demanding money from the till getting £45.

The defendant was picked out in identity parades and admitted being in the store but denied demanding money.

Miss Langford said the worker involved in the second incident had quit her job as she was scared to work at the shop again and suffered a financial loss as a result.

Dixon pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery. Alex Daymond, defending, said his client accepted she was facing a lengthy jail term for the two offences.

He said Dixon, who had no previous convictions, came to Trowbridge from London and soon after became addicted to heroin and crack cocaine.

"Hitherto she had led a fairly blameless life holding down a job for a while. Problems with her family led to her moving away," he said.

Only about a month before the first offence, he said, she was introduced to heroin and crack and quickly fell under their grasp, committing the offences.

He said she had a baby when she was 16 years old who lived with its father and she looked forward to being reconciled with the child when she is released.

Imposing the four year jail term, Judge Rupert Bursell said he had shortened it because of her lack of previous convictions and her age.