A MAN who robbed a Wirral chemist of 1,500 tranquilliser tablets and frightened staff was jailed last week for five years.

Judge Richard Pickering told Graham Byrne that the courts had recognised he had chosen to take drugs and become addicted like many others and had tried non-custodial sentences, including four probation orders in the past.

But all had failed "and you have continued not merely to be a nuisance to the community, but actively to distress particular members of it".

He said the courts had a duty to protect those who serve the community but are extremely vulnerable to men like Byrne who are prepared to frighten them for profit.

"You are right to feel ashamed that one of the assistants in that chemist's shop was so frightened she can no longer work there," he said.

"Any man who goes into a chemist armed with a baseball bat must face up to substantial sentences."

Byrne, 28, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to robbery and supplying nitrazepam and diazepam. He denied two other charges of supplying drugs.

Michael Connolly, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that Byrne robbed Moss Chemists in Bedford Road, Rock Ferry, on April 26.

He was a regular customer and known to one of the assistants, who saw him standing close to the pharmacist.

The assistant asked him what he was doing and he asked "where's my tablets?" before producing a baseball bat and holding it by his side.

He was agitated and repeatedly asked questions about the tablets before stepping forward and grabbing containers holding 500 nitrazepam and 1,000 diazepam tablets.

He left with the tablets, which had a nominal retail price of £8.18, but which Byrne told police he sold at £1 for two, and of which 218 were recovered, said Mr Connolly.

When interviewed, Byrne said that the vast majority of the tablets had either been consumed by him or sold on to others, from which he had made £350.

Miss Christine Johnson, defending, said that Byrne had a history of drug abuse since he was 15 and was living rough at the time.

Byrne was ashamed of his actions. He reiterated he would never harm a woman, but accepted he would have caused substantial fear to others, she said.

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