A COUPLE who hatched an elaborate plan to stage a robbery at a newsagents were caught out when they were captured on CCTV.
Paula Richards and her boyfriend James Jackson tried to steal more than £1,800 in takings from McColls shop on High Street in Holme-on-Spalding Moor earlier this year.
Richards, 30, had worked at the shop as deputy manager and plotted a fake robbe
ry in which she would pass the day’s taking to Jackson outside and claim she was a victim.
It was heard at Hull Crown Court this week that she initially claimed she had been accosted while heading to the nearby Post Office to bank the cash from the register.
She then cried crocodile tears and pretended to be shaken in front of her colleagues to make the incident more convincing.
But her inside job crumbled when police later revealed they had footage of her handing the money over to her 27-year-old Jackson in the street in broad daylight.
It was heard how they devised the idea after Jackson said he was fed-up of being without money.
Even after their cover was blown, the pair claimed they needed the money for essentials, but they spent it all in weeks.
Around £600 was spent on a car stereo while the rest went on clothes, a ring, and nights out partying together.
Crown barrister Mark Bury told the court: “She put on a good show after claiming she had been robbed. “She started crying and had to be helped upstairs where she was given a cup of tea. Her parents even attended the shop to console her.
“Although they claimed to be skint the money was frittered away on extras.”
He said it appeared Jackson had waited outside the shop until there were no witnesses and called Richards on his mobile telling her to do the routine taking drop. He simply took the money and then coolly walked off.
Richards of Beacon View, Holme-upon-Spalding-Moor, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to steal and perverting the course of justice.
Jackson, who is from Derby and is now Richards’ ex-boyfirend, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to steal and spending the money by converting criminal property.
Defending Richards, barrister Charlotte Baines said she had in the past suffered from a brain tumour and was now jobless.
“She recognised the crime was born out of avarice,” said Ms Baines.
“She knows that perverting the course of justice is a custodial sentence. She fell head over heels in love with her boyfriend, but she knows she could have said no.
“She has let her firm down, her colleagues and her family. She let her family believe she was a victim of crime. Her parents are standing by her even though they don’t condone what she has done and are in the public gallery. They are disappointed in her to say the least.”
Defending Jackson, barrister Shazma Zaman said although in his pre-sentenced report he denied doing anything wrong he now accepted he was responsible for the offences.
Judge Simon Jack told the pair: “These are very serious matters.
