A 44-YEAR-old Forest of Dean man, who threatened a cashier at the petrol service station at the Lea with a gun, has been jailed for four years and eight months.

Worcester Crown Court was told that Adam Hawkins of Hazel Road, Drybrook, Gloucestershire had been identified by his car registration, which was obtained from CCTV, even though the rear number plate had partially been obscured by green tape.

Judge Nicholas Cartwright told Hawkins: “This robbery was planned by you. The service station was known to you. You drove to the garage with green tape obscuring the number plate; you pulled up your hood and were wearing a facemask, concealing your identity.

“You brought a BB gun with you, and this qualifies as an imitation firearm, as it looked so realistic.

“You made the firearm visible to the cashier. You filled your bag with cash and cigarettes.”

Prosecutor Mark Karplinski explained to the court that armed police officers attended the Gulf service station in the Lea at around 7.45pm on Wednesday, February 18 following a distressed call from the cashier.

Mr Karplinski added: “Hawkins entered the shop and produced what appeared to be a handgun on the lone female cashier. He pointed it at her and grabbed her mobile phone to prevent her phoning the police.”

“Hawkins then put his bag on the counter indicating to Kuberka Suthanantham, the cashier, to put money in it,” the prosecutor added.

“She struggled to open the till, during which Hawkins made his way round the counter and helped himself to more cash from the till.

“Hawkins is then seen tampering with electrical equipment and removes what he believes is a recording device connected to the CCTV monitor.

“Hawkins then persuades the cashier to open a draw containing cigarettes and helps himself and fills his bag further.

“After just two minutes, Hawkins departs the store having made off with over £1,000 in cash, multiple packets of cigarettes and tobacco and two mobile phones and an electronic unit.

“He was identified by his car leaving the scene and was arrested at his home address where officers seized a black firearm, which turned out to be a BB gun, a balaclava and over £600 in cash.”

Judge Cartright ordered that the CCTV footage should be played in court and that the car registration used to commit the crime should also be read out in open court.

As the CCTV footage was played to the court, Hawkins, wearing a green polo shirt on a remote link from prison, could be seen putting his head in his hands in shame.

The prosecutor explained that the car registration had green tape obscuring the rear number plate, but it was YB14AED.

Amiee Parkes, defending, explained that Hawkins had indicated his guilt at the magistrates’ court and said: “Hawkins is generally sorry for his actions and states that he was having mental issues at the time of the incident.

“He describes the deterioration in his mental health as a consequence of a bereavement in 2023 and a workplace accident, where he had to have emergency spinal surgery which has left him suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

“This is a very serious offence. There is no way to avoid this, however Hawkins has demonstrated that he can better himself.”

In a letter to the Judge, Hawkins explains that this is his first time in prison and that he’s had time to reflect on his actions and evaluate what went wrong and what he can do to change for the future.

“Whilst in prison, I’ve taken several courses to help me for when I am released, I have worked hard with my mental health team,” he said.

“If there was a way to go back in time, I would change the way I behaved towards the victim.”

Hawkins admitted possessing an imitation firearm with intent, a black BB gun on February 18 and committing a robbery on Ms Suthanantham, depriving her of money, phones and tobacco on the same occasion.

In sentencing Hawkins to a prison term of 56 months, Judge Cartright told him that as he had used a car to commit the offence, he was banning him from driving for 18 months from the date of release from prison.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the firearm and the forfeiture of the car used to commit the robbery and that he pays the mandatory surcharge.