A man who carried out two violent betting shop robberies in Brighton and Hove has been jailed for three years.
Brandon Wells, 34, of no fixed address, struck twice in just two days in May — first targeting a shop in Hove, then another in central Brighton — using threats and intimidation to steal cash from staff.
The first robbery occurred on the evening of May 18 at a betting shop in George Street, Hove. Wells entered the premises and waited until the shop was empty before launching his attack. At around 6.30pm, he vaulted the counter and demanded money, threatening violence. He escaped with part of the shop’s takings.
Just 24 hours later, Wells targeted a second betting shop on Queens Road, Brighton. Again, he waited until the premises were empty before confronting a lone female staff member. He grabbed her by the collar, issued threats, and pushed her through the shop before fleeing with more stolen cash.
His short-lived spree came to an end on May 20, when officers located and arrested him inside another betting shop in Dyke Road, Hove. He was wearing clothing that matched CCTV footage from the previous incident.
Wells was taken into custody and admitted both robberies during police interview. He was charged the same evening and appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court the next day, where he was remanded in custody.
On June 26, he appeared at Lewes Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to both offences and was sentenced to three years in prison.
Detective Constable Glaskin, who led the investigation, praised the fast action of local police and businesses:
“Thanks to the swift response by our officers and the valuable assistance of local businesses, we were able to quickly identify and arrest Wells in connection with the two betting shop robberies.
“Both crimes took place in busy areas of the city. The victims were just trying to do their jobs and, understandably, were left extremely shaken.
“In each case, Wells used intimidation and violence to get what he wanted, and his actions were both frightening and unacceptable.
“The CCTV footage spoke for itself, and Wells has now been sentenced to three years in prison.”
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