Man who robbed bookmakers has been jailed

A man who entered two bookmakers and demanded money at knife point has been jailed for more than seven years.

Mark Barton, age 42 and from Wesleyan Road, Peterborough, appeared at Norwich Crown Court today Friday (26 September) and was sentenced to seven years and six months in total for two counts of robbery, two counts of possession of a knife and one count of criminal damage. Barton pleaded guilty to the offences at an earlier hearing.

On Saturday 15 February 2025 at 5.20pm Barton entered Ladbrokes on Aylsham Road and initially placed his bets. Around 20 minutes later he approached the counter with a note and demanded money from the employee at the counter.

Armed with a knife, Barton made threats, and the employee showed the cash drawer was empty. Barton jumped over the counter and took £198.39 in coins.

CCTV captured footage of Barton carrying out the offence and police forensics matched his fingerprints to the counter.

The following evening, on Sunday 16 February at 7.30pm, Barton entered the William Hill bookmakers in Reepham Road in Norwich. He began betting but by 8pm he approached the counter and pulled out a knife. He demanded money from the employee and for her to go to the safe.

Barton knocked the plastic barrier on the counter to the floor and took the employee into the back room at knifepoint. He then took £1,075, telling her not to contact police before he fled from the scene. Again, Barton was captured on CCTV and his fingerprints were found at the scene.

The victim of the first robbery, said he had felt ‘incredibly scared’ in his victim statement, adding: “…I felt the blood rush through my body as soon as I read the piece of paper he handed me. He told me not to press the panic alarm and I felt in serious danger. His possession of a knife, which I believed he was willing to use to cause serious harm, especially because of his erratic and drunken state, made me even more fearful for my own and others safety.”

The victim of the second robbery, said in her statement that as much as she tries to go on with life it’s an experience she would never forget as she thought he may use the knife on her: “During the course of the incident, I was just terrified. The male had been in the store for some time before, so I did not expect him to walk up to the counter and produce a knife, demanding money. I was immediately shocked and terrified.”

PC John Weatherstone said: “These robberies were carried out using a knife, leaving the employees of the bookmakers terrified for their lives. These acts have left a residing impact on both victims who struggled to carry on normal life without fearing they may, again, be subject to such an attack.

“We hope that Barton being sentenced for his crime and jailed will go some way to provide justice for his victims.”