A MAN felt so guilty he had robbed a shop that he rang the police to confess.
Michael Macasikill, who was in debt, put on a balaclava, armed himself with a crowbar and robbed a shop in Saltney.
Macasikill, 38, threatened staff and hit the till at the Go Outdoors store with the metal bar before making off with £60.
Macasikill, who had been drinking cider, gambled the cash away before he returned home. But he felt bad about what he had done and rang the police to confess.
At Mold Crown Court, Macasikill, of Clover Place, Lache, admitted robbery and assaulting a teenage member of staff. He was jailed for 28 months.
Judge Rhys Rowlands said that it had been “a terrifying ordeal” for staff.
Prosecuting barrister Gareth Roberts told how the robbery took place on November 26 before 7pm.
Interviewed, Macasikill said he had spent the money at Ladbrokes on the roulette machine. He told how he had lost his job and had been drinking heavily.
A debt of £1,000 had built up and he had hit on the idea of committing a burglary at the shop.
Peter Barnett, defending, said it was a very unusual case. Macasikill was depressed, in debt, he had been drinking cider, and committed the robbery. He was ashamed of what he had done and owned up.
Macasikill had been in a very depressed state after a friend of his died of an overdose.
Judge Rowlands said a custodial sentence was inevitable.
Macasikill had clearly been drinking to excess, which was an aggravating feature, the judge said.
