Betting shop robber totally inept

The trial of an utterly inept robber who tried to rip off a Betfred betting shop in Torquay, Devon last August has been causing some media merriment.

In what media reports are characterising as one of the most botched hold-ups ever, Scots would-be robber Douglas Stewart (48):

* Glued bits of paper tissue to his face to disguise himself, and stuffed his mouth full of tissue to muffle his broad Scots accent (it didn’t work as he is a regular at the betting shop);

* Scrawled his robbery demands on the back of letter sent to him, with his name and address clearly displayed…and then left the letter behind when he fled;

* Stuck a crude “closed” notice on the door of the shop as he entered to rob it….with his fingerprints all over it;

* Removed his tissue paper disguise outside the shop in full view of a CCTV camera.

Stewart had other noticeable idiosyncrasies, including no shoes and odd socks.

His scrawled letter of demand handed to the shop attendant threatened that he had a bomb on his person, he was supported by a gang of ex-soldiers outside, and he wanted money. Another note instructed the attendant to hand over the shop keys and then lock herself in the toilet.

When the scared but bemused attendant hit the panic button and told Stewart the police were on the way he panicked and ran off, but was arrested soon after.

Appearing in the Exeter Crown Court this week, Stewart pleaded guilty to attempted robbery.

The court heard that he had 72 previous convictions, including a jail sentence for a robbery in Scotland.

Explaining his client’s  behaviour, defence advocate Paul Dentith said Stewart was a heroin addict, but presiding Judge Phillip Wassall nevertheless jailed the Scot for three years and eight months, describing him as a “…continuing risk to the public.”

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