Two men jailed for carrying out a knifepoint robbery at a Blackpool convenience store

Lancashire Police launched an investigation after cash and cigarettes were taken in the raid at One Stop, Dinmore Avenue, in January this year.

At around 9.51pm on January 25, a One Stop shop assistant was tidying the store and getting ready to close, when he saw two men walk in.

One of the men approached the counter and shouted, ‘bag of cigs now’, with the shop assistant thinking he was joking. However, the second man then pulled out a kitchen knife from his jacket.

The shop assistant began filling a bag with cigarettes but the man holding the knife demanded he hand over the money in the till.

Both offenders left the shop and left the area in a taxi. The knife used in the robbery was found nearby.

The following day, Lancashire Police officers arrested Christopher Walton and Cameron Wassall.

Walton, 27, of John Foran Close, Manchester, and Cameron Wassall, 31, of Moor Park Avenue, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery.

At Preston Crown Court this week (13th May), Walton was jailed for three years and nine months, and Wassall was jailed for two years and six months.

Det Con Alexa Taylor of West CID, said: “This was an offence where a knife was used to threaten a shop assistant while he was doing his job.

“Lancashire Police will investigate thoroughly any such offences and aim to bring offenders to justice.

“Two men have now been given prison sentences and we hope that provides reassurance in the local community.”