Life term for knifepoint robber

Ian Edwards admitted seven crimes that saw victims in the Havering area of the capital threatened with a knife
8 December 2012

A man who carried out seven knifepoint robberies in just 15 days in London has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Ian Edwards, 45, of no fixed address, was convicted of the offences at the Old Bailey after admitting the seven crimes that saw victims in the Havering area of the capital threatened with a large kitchen knife.

He was jailed on Friday for a minimum of 12 years.

The Metropolitan police said that one of the robberies left an elderly woman so traumatised she now seldom leaves her home.

Between April and May this year, Edwards entered pharmacies, off-licences and supermarkets and threatened the cashiers with a large knife and demanded money from the till.

In one instance Edwards approached an elderly female victim working alone in Gayatri Newsagent, Broadway, Rainham. He grabbed the victim by the wrist, twisted her arm and dragged her across the floor while demanding she open the safe.

A customer entered the premises and Edwards told him to leave, threatening to stab the victim if he did not obey. He then produced a large kitchen knife with a blade of between eight and 12 inches, brandished it at the victim and made demands for money from the till. He stole about £400 before making off.

In three of the seven robberies, Edwards fled the scene in a car driven by Kenneth Westfield, 37, of Chantry Way, Rainham.

Westfield stood trial after denying his part in the crimes, but was found guilty of conspiracy to commit armed robbery. He was jailed for six years.

The court heard that Edwards was motivated by a need to finance his heroin addition. The Flying Squad launched an operation to tackle the series of robberies, and arrested Westfield on May 8 and Edwards on May 10 in Dagenham Heathway.

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