August 5, 2019 1.43 pm This story is over 55 months old

Man staged knife point shop hold-ups to pay off loans

He was jailed for four years
Kyle Bevington was jailed for four years. Photo: Lincolnshire Police

A desperate man staged two knife point hold-ups within 24 hours in a bid to get cash, Lincoln Crown Court was told on Monday.

Kyle Bevington and his mother were being chased by a payday loan company when he decided to stage a shop robbery to get cash to solve their problem.

Sarah Munro, prosecuting, said that Bevington walked into the Lincolnshire Co-op Store on Trelawney Crescent, Ermine West, Lincoln, just before closing time and produced a knife to the till operator.

“The defendant had a face mask or balaclava on. He went straight to the till. He pulled out a knife and gestured that he wanted money.”

Miss Munro said that the shop worker refused to give Bevington any money and told him to go away.

“He recognised the man as someone who had been in the shop before.”

Bevington eventually left empty-handed from the store.

The following morning he went to Keddington Stores on the same estate and tried to hold up the shop.

Miss Munro said that the woman behind the till challenged Bevington and told him “I’m not giving you any money Kyle”.

“The defendant then began moving the knife about and lashed out with the knife towards a charity box.

“He kept demanding money and she kept telling him that she couldn’t get into the till.

“He then began to punch a Perspex wall. A member of the public walked in and the defendant told him to get out.

“As soon as the defendant walked out, the shop worker pressed the panic button.”

Bevington was arrested two weeks later and made no comment when he was interviewed by police.

In court on Monday, Bevington, 32, of Queen Elizabeth Road, Ermine West, Lincoln, admitted two charges of attempted robbery and two charges of possession of a knife. The offences occurred on June 22 and 23, 2019. He was jailed for four years.

Nicholas Bleaney, in mitigation, told the court: “He lives with his mother. They became snared in the world of payday loans.”

He said that Bevington managed to clear some of the loans using compensation he received following an accident but had not realised a further loan was outstanding.

“His mother was in tears, constantly worrying about money. He eventually decided he would do something about it and went out and committed these offences. This was as much stupid as wicked.”