'Laughing' armed robber in 'pathetic' disguise left victim terrified for the sake of some cigarettes

Kyle Zelinka, who had a "pathetic" disguise of a tracksuit pulled up to cover the bottom of his face, struggled with the terrified shopkeeper a the Village News then laughed as she fell and threatened her with a weapon he held above his head.

Prosecutor Ian West told Newcastle Crown Court: "There was something of a struggle and she fell into a display of wine bottles.

"She describes that the defendant had something in his hand, something silver and small, which she thought was a knife, and he threatened to cut her."

The court heard the 19-year-old raider, a former horticultural student and gamekeeper, who was on a suspended sentence for a street robbery in Peterlee in 2018, left the shop with cigarettes.

He had been in to the same store, at Low Row, Easington Village, County Durham, an hour before and stole two bottles of cider.Zelinka, of Station Road, Shotton Colliery, County Durham, admitted theft and robbery and has been jailed for four years and two months.

Judge James Adkin told him: "You pushed her over and you laughed, put her to the floor, took out what you say was a screwdriver from your pocket, held it above your head and threatened her with it.

"You then went behind the counter, grabbing cigarettes, and left."

The court heard the attack has had a devastating impact on the terrified victim, who had been working alone.

She said in a statement she previously loved her job and was eager to learn and take on extra shifts but is now "scared to go to work".

She added: "Every time a strange face walks through the door I start shaking and could be physically sick.

"I am totally overwhelmed now.

"My co-workers are amazing with their love and support but I feel guilty I am not pulling my weight.

"I honestly don't know if I can continue to do my job.

"I don't feel safe.

"I am a different person, I can't sleep, can't eat, can't stop shaking. I feel constantly sick, crying all the time.

"I'm scared to be alone, scared to be around a crowd, I feel totally overwhelmed."

The shop owner said the store is a family run business where the staff are "friends" and not just workers.

He said while there was some financial impact on the business, it was far worse to "see first hand" the devastation caused to the worker.

Neil Bennett, defending, said Zelinka was "hard working and polite" until he fell in with a "negative peer group" and started offending.

Mr Bennett said: "This effected his lifestyle, his behaviour, his relationship with his family deteriorated, he is estranged from the family home."

Mr Bennett said the jail term is the first custodial sentence Zelinka has been ordered to serve.

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