Police have released the mugshot of a man sentenced for being the 'ringleader' of a terrifying robbery, threatening to kill a man with a fork and a ballpoint pen in Worksop.
It left the victim, who has autism, 'crying himself to sleep' after the incident occurred, as he had a kitchen fork held to his throat and a ballpoint pen pressed against his temples with enough force to hurt him.
Lee Thompson, 26, of Wilton Street, Townhead, Coatbridge, pleaded guilty to robbery, burglary and failure to surrender, and was sentenced to a total of five years and four months at Nottingham Crown court on Thursday (February 10).
He was described in court by Judge Steven Coupland as the 'ringleader', and was jailed for five years and three months for robbery, six weeks concurrently for a separate burglary and one month consecutively for a bail act offence.
Thompson forced his way into the victim's home in Northwood, Worksop on October 22 2020, demanding to search his house as he thought his bank card had been posted there.
He was accompanied by Lewis McCulloch, 22, of Northwood, Worksop, who was sentenced separately for having a lesser role to the robbery and separate burglary and his sentence was three years after he pleaded guilty.
They left but returned, with Thompson holding a bottle of vodka and McCulloch clutching a Strongbow can.
The victim said both 'absolutely stunk of beer', and suggested they went back to the Post Office as he did not have the card.
But the two men then returned again at 3am, stealing cash, vodka, cycling gloves and a beloved PlayStation 3.
The victim said in police interview the value of the PS3 and games was not important - and that it was the sentimental value which mattered to him, with the PS3 the only thing that gave him joy.
"After they left, he cried himself to sleep," said Lisa Hardy, prosecuting, during court proceedings.
The two men then returned again days later, kicking his door, and leaving the man so scared he called police hidden behind his boiler room door.
Police attended and identified Thompson as the suspect involved.
After noticing Thompson holding a tray of confectionary items, officers then investigated and found a nearby bakery on Prospect Precinct, Worksop, had been broken into with the front door to the shop being smashed to pieces.
By the time they were arrested, they had smashed their way into a local bakers and helped themselves to trays of food.
Detective Constable Lisa Porter, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "This was an incredibly distressing incident for the victim and left him understandably upset and scared.
"Thompson demanded entry into the victim's home and then set about threatening him and stealing his most loved possessions that the victim had worked hard for and brought him happiness.
"This sort of behaviour is completely unacceptable not only did Thompson rob a vulnerable man but he also then went on to burgle a business.
"These sorts of offences not only impact their victims financially but also emotionally too and cause a great deal of distress and that is why we will always do everything possible to find those responsible and bring them to justice for their actions.
"I am pleased Thompson has now been brought to justice and hope he uses his time behind bars to really think about his actions and the impact they've had on the victim and to re-evaluate his life and think about the impact behaviour like this has on others."
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