Armed robbers jailed for raid at Go Local in South Anston

Callum Edwards (26), of Plantation Court, Dinnington, held a silver gun as he demanded that terrified shop assistant Linda Oastler open the till at Go Local in South Anston.

His accomplice, Tomas Staszewski (33, below), of Lordens Hill, Dinnington, kept guard in the doorway while the robbery took place last October.

Edwards was jailed for seven years and seven months and Staszewski was locked up for five years and 11 months at Sheffield Crown Court last Monday.

The court heard Ms Oastler was working behind the till on a quiet Sunday afternoon when Edwards confronted her.

Prosecutor Mr James Baird said: “He was holding what she described as a silver metallic handgun in his right hand, and although the barrel was not pointing directly at her, the gun was clearly visible to her.

“Edwards was saying: ‘Open the till, give me the money, I have got a gun’.”

A shocked Ms Oastler grabbed notes from the till and threw them towards Edwards, who stuffed them into a bag, said Mr Baird.

A man had seen Edwards pulling a black scarf or mask up around his face moments before the robbery, he said, adding: “He saw Staszewski standing in the doorway of the shop.

“The door was propped open, and Staszewski had his arms across the doorframe blocking anyone from coming in or out of the shop.”

Edwards made no comment after his arrest but his partner told police that he had ditched his clothes and his gun in a stream in South Anston.

Ms Oastler said in a statement read to the court that she was still suffering from anxiety.

“It breaks my heart thinking that someone could do that to me,” she said.

Edwards and Staszewski both admitted robbery and possession of a firearm in March on the first day of their trial.

Staszewski, a Polish national who has lived in the UK for six years, admitted the offences on the basis that he did not know Edwards was going to use a gun.

He had no convictions in the UK but was jailed for 18 months in Poland in 2007 for extortion.

Ms Laura Marshall, representing Staszewski, said he had come to the UK six years ago to set up a new life for himself in the UK, but now faced the prospect of deportation.

Edwards, who has 22 convictions for 45 offences, admitted a further offence of administering a noxious substance, at an earlier hearing at the Crown Court for attacking a prison officer with a mixture of urine and faeces days before Christmas last year.

His victim said in a statement, which was read to the court, that he had to have tests for medical conditions such as Hepatitis A and B and it had ruined his family Christmas.

Sentencing, Judge Rachael Harrison condemned Edwards’ attack on a prison officer.

“It was appalling behaviour and it had a profound affect on your victim,” she said.