An industrial accident transformed a petty crook i

An industrial accident transformed a petty crook into a
dangerous armed bandit, the Old Bailey was told today
(Wednesday).

Albert Hawkins, 30, embarked on a series of terrifying
robberies as a consequence of receiving a serious blow to the
head at work, it was argued.

Over two months, he held a revolver to the neck of a sales
assistant and later threatened a service station worker with a
terrifying sawn-off shotgun.

By the time the police tracked him down in a Hampshire
caravan park, his mental state had deteriorated to the point
where he was a babbling wreck who gave confused and rambling
answers to detectives’ questions.

Prison authorities were so concerned about him that he was
transferred to Broadmoor maximum security mental hospital while
on remand.

In court, he admitted two armed robberies.

Miss Heather Hallett QC, defending, said five medical reports
all indicated that the injury he sustained in an industrial
accident were affecting his mind at the time of the raids.

The court was told Hawkins had burst into the Marks and
Spencer store in Mill Hill just before closing time on February
1 last year.

‘One of the staff, Lee Collis, 22, saw Hawkins approach him
with a gun, hold it to his neck and shove him towards the till
area,’ said Mr John Donne, prosecuting.

‘Hawkins directed other employees to give him money.

‘
The other staff bravely tried to stand up to the robber but
complied after he renewed his demands, all the while holding
the gun to Mr Collis’ neck.

Hawkins and his ‘lookout’, Michael Davies, 27, fled to a
Volvo parked nearby outside and sped off with pnds stlng 1,440.

Hawkins and Davies were identified as the robbers by the owner
of the getaway car, who told how the pair had ‘borrowed’ it from
him while staying at his home.

But before they could track either of them down, Hawkins
struck again at a Texaco garage in Winchester Road, Romsey,
Hamps, on April 10.

During the daring robbery – directly opposite the police
station – he used a sawn-off shotgun to coerce the terrified
attendant to give him pnds stlng 140 from the till.

Then, seemingly oblivious to the proximity of the police and
the urgent calls from his lookouts outside, Hawkins brazenly
grabbed a dozen packets of cigarettes before fleeing.

He was finally arrested a month later when armed police raided
the Setthorns Caravan park, in the New Forest near New Milton,
Hampshire, where he had been lying low.

Quizzed about the two raids, Hawkins appeared confused and
gave rambling nonsense answers.

In court, he admitted robbery and firearm charges.

Davies, of Evans Road, Catford, south east London, admitted
robbery for the February 1 raid.

He further admitted
possessing cannabis resin.

Miss Hallett said although Hawkins was now sane, he had been
suffering from ‘very severe mental problems’ at the time of the
robberies.

‘He had a major accident to his brain.

He has definitely
improved in the last few weeks.

‘
Judge Graham Laughland QC was told Davies was ‘totally out
of his league’ when he teamed up with Hawkins for the Marks and
Spencer robbery.

The judge said despite the string of reports about Hawkins’
mental state, it did not mitigate his culpability for the crimes
to any great degree.

Hawkins did not react as he was sentenced to six years jail.

Turning to Davies, the judge described his role as ‘markedly
subordinate’ to that of Hawkins and sentenced him to three years
jail.

ENDS