'Calculating and dangerous' Plymouth offender jailed

A man who carried out two knifepoint robberies in Plymouth - and another one in London - has been handed a lengthy jail sentence.

When 41-year-old Nigel Roe last appeared at Plymouth Crown Court in April this year he admitted carrying out two armed robberies in Plymouth last October [2023].

Roe, of Radford Avenue, Plymouth pleaded guilty to robbery of Neswick Stores in Anstis Street on October 13, 2023, taking cigarettes and a bottle of whisky as well as pleading guilty to being in possession of a knife at the store.

He also pleaded guilty to the robbery of the Co-operative store in Salisbury Road, on October 15, 2023, taking cash and cigarettes and again admitted to being in possession of a knife at the store.

However, he denied robbing the Bet Fred bookmakers in Plymstock of £240 in cash on October 11, 2023, and similarly denied he threatened staff with a knife at the venue.

The Crown Prosecution Service said the pleas were acceptable with the Plymstock matter to lie on file. Mr Lewin noted there was another "similar matter" which had come to light in London and so any sentencing had to be delayed. This matter related to an incident of knifepoint robbery at a convenience store in Lambeth on July 25, 2023.

On Thursday October 31, Roe returned to court to hear his fate.

He was handed an extended sentence of 12 years, comprising of nine years custody and an extended licence period of three years for each of the robberies and 12 months for each of the counts of possession of a bladed article to run concurrently.

He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228.

A spokesperson for Plymouth police's Priority Crime Investigation Team said: "This sentence will ensure the safety of the public from a dangerous individual. Nigel Roe committed multiple offences across the city of Plymouth in a very short space of time.

"As an investigation team we would like to acknowledge the work of our Neighbourhood Policing Team who identified Roe and for his involvement in the offences for which he has been convicted today.

"Roe is a calculating and dangerous offender whose actions will have a life-long impact on his victims. We are glad to see this sentence imposed for his actions and hope this will go some way in helping the victims get closure from these incidents."

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