Hammer man jailed for four-and-a-half years

A man who threatened forecourt staff with a hammer during a robbery has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

The incident happened on Saturday June 23 at the Shell Whitstable site on the A299 Thanet Way in Kent. Two men entered the store and made their way behind the shop counter.

One of them, Toby Shilling, went into the back office to try to steal from the safe but came away empty-handed because staff didn’t know the code. After this he slapped a female shop assistant then demanded money from the till and gave staff a bag to fill, all the while threatening them with a hammer.

During the robbery 27-year-old Shilling also stole a handbag containing cash and bank cards.