A burglar was caught out after leaving a trail of blood in a Chinese buffet restaurant he broke into.
Phillip Jones was then locked in a convenience store by a brave shop worker after he raided the premises at knifepoint. To round off his crime spree, he burgled a Lidl supermarket to pilfer booze on three separate occasions.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Thursday, that the first in a spate of incidents came on February 21 this year when the 40-year-old, of Windfield Green in Garston, targeted the Chinese Buffet in Speke. Kenneth Grant, prosecuting, described how Jones broke in and stole a quantity of cash from the premises - but was linked to the incident after his blood was discovered on cables at the back of the till.
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Then came three burglaries at the Lidl store on St Mary's Road in Garston. At 2.15am on March 12, the defendant and an accomplice forced the front doors open and filled carrier bags up with bottles of spirits before leaving. They both returned at 1.15am, the following day and repeated their crimes.
Jones then broke in alone once again at 9pm to steal more alcohol. A total of £1,925.35 of goods were taken from the supermarket, with the offender being recognised in CCTV footage by a police officer.
Just under five months later, employee Joshua Johnson was cashing up at Abi Mini Market on Warwick Street in Dingle shortly before 11pm on August 8. He had the shutters halfway down but heard someone kicking at the door.
The staff member believed it was a customer and let the man in. But he brandished knife and shouted: "Give me the money, open the till."
Mr Johnson backed away, but the robber spotted he was holding his phone and keys and demanded them too. However, the victim ran, fled the shop and locked his attacker in before calling the police.
Jones managed to locate the back door keys and made a bid for freedom, but was arrested by a waiting officer. The PC had to give chase and use incapacitant spray in detaining him after he had stolen £457 in cash.
A statement read out to the court on Mr Johnson's behalf said: "Throughout the incident, I was put in fear. I was frightened that I was going to get stabbed."
Jones, who appeared via video link from HMP Altcourse, has 29 previous convictions for 79 offences. James Lefroy, defending, said: "He was drunk, he was chaotic and he was uncertain of his true motivation except a need for alcohol.
"The CCTV does present a man acting chaotically and impulsively rather than a man whose actions were well thought out. It was clearly the desperate action of a drunk and chaotic man.
"He is a man capable of living a good life. He is deeply remorseful.
"He has never considered himself to be a violent man and he is horrified at the clear terror he must have placed the shopkeeper in. It haunts him."
Jones admitted four counts of burglary, one of robbery and a charge of possession of a bladed article in a public place. He was jailed for 52 months.
Sentencing, Judge Garrett Byrne said of the convenience store raid: "He was likely very frightened and he thought he was going to be stabbed. You waited until your victim was alone at closing time and at his most vulnerable."
Of the burglaries, the judge added: "These offences cause a great deal of inconvenience and cost to stores and restaurants involved."
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