Walkford man Harry Belton jailed for three years for threatening Pokesdown Tesco worker with BB gun

A WALKFORD man who pointed a fake gun in the face of a Tesco worker trying to stop him shoplifting a crate of beer has been jailed for three years.

In dramatic CCTV footage shown to Bournemouth Crown Court, Harry Belton (20) was shown whipping the ‘firearm’ out of the waistband of his trousers and threatening a shop assistant with it as he cowered in fear.

Just seconds earlier Belton, of Walkford Road, had walked into the shop in Pokesdown, picked up the crate of San Miguel, placed it on his shoulder then casually strolled towards the exit.

Prosecutor Tom Wilkins said Belton was stopped by security guard Partha Diyora but told him: “I’ve got what I need” before adding “look behind you”.

At that point, the court heard, a friend of the defendant’s George Warren, who had shoplifted a crate of Stella Artois from the store earlier in the day, then pushed the guard with “some force”.

Shop assistant James Meara ran up and snatched the beer from Belton, whom the prosecutor said then: “pulled an imitation firearm from his waistband, cocked it and pointed it at his [Mr Meara’s] face.”

The shop worker later told police did not know if the gun was real and had feared for his life, adding: “My heart rate went crazy.”

Belton and Warren (21), of no fixed abode, then ran off but were later arrested for robbing the store at 10pm on 25th August last year – the day before Belton’s 20th birthday.

Mr Wilkins said Belton, who had a caution for burglary with intent to cause damage, had played a “leading role” in the crime.

He refused to cooperate when questioned by police, but Warren told them that he had not known Belton had a fake firearm – a BB gun – on him.

Both pleaded guilty to robbery. Belton also pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm with intent. Warren also admitted the earlier shoplifting charge.

In defence of Belton, barrister Christopher Pix said the incident with the gun had been an “incredibly short lived and spontaneous incident”.

He added that the defendant had “repeatedly expressed his sincere remorse”. He had been diagnosed with ADHD and other mental health issues which, Mr Pix said, “impacts his rashness, impulsivity and immaturity”.

He said a psychological report had shown that Belton had had a “troubled childhood” involving his “relationships with his father and stepfather” which had led to him leaving home at 15.

Mr Pix said Belton had also spent time in care and had turned to alcohol and drugs.

Mr Pix said: “He recognises that he needs help and has already take steps to try and turn his life around. He wants to go back to college and wants to get a job in the construction industry.

“He wants to knuckle down, and in his words, “get on with grown-up life”.

Mr Pix argued that Belton should be given a suspended sentence: “He is a young man who is keen to rehabilitate. He is potentially vulnerable and in prison will be preyed upon and will come out of any prison sentence more likely to reoffend.”

But Judge Nicholas Haggan KC said that he was “satisfied” that Belton had taken the fake firearm to “threaten violence” and had intended to “maximise the fear and distress” of Mr Meara by pointing it at him.

Sentencing him to four years in a young offender’s institution for the charge of robbery, he reduced it by one year because of his “young age, mental health and remorse”.

For possessing the fake gun, he was jailed for two years and three months, to run concurrently. The judge said he would serve half of his sentence in the institution before being released on licence. A destruction order was given for the BB gun.

Warren, whom the court heard had received an offer to study at university, was jailed for 18 months suspended for two years. He was also giving a 20-day rehabilitation order and told to do 80 hours of unpaid work.