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A man who robbed a shop just minutes after trying to hold-up a pedestrian has been jailed at Lincoln Crown Court.

Daniel Nichols, 30, of Friars Lane, Lincoln, walked into the Deli shop on Newland in Lincoln and went straight behind the counter.

Katrina Wilson, prosecuting, said that the shop worker, who had been preparing an order in a back room, emerged to find Nichols with his hand in the till.

“She was shocked. She asked what he was doing and he said that he was taking some money.

“She tried to get him out of the shop but the defendant told to get off him or he would stab her. He took between £10 and £15 from the till and he walked out.”

Miss Wilson said that just 10 minutes earlier Nichols walked up to a pedestrian further along Newland and threatened him saying “I’ve got a knife. Give me your money or I’m going to stab you.”

The victim told Nichols to go away and then ran off. Moments later he looked back to see that Nichols had made no attempt to follow him.

Miss Wilson told the court that although Nichols told both victims that he had a knife no weapon was seen.

The two victims each called police and later in the day officers were driving along St Rumbold Street when they spotted a man fitting the description of the robber.

Miss Wilson said: “He was arrested and taken to the police station.

“He denied the incident involving the pedestrian but admitted taking money from the till of the deli but said he made no threats to the shop worker.

“He told the officers he was a heroin addict and had stolen the money to feed his habit.”

The court was told that Nichols had 28 previous convictions for shoplifting and others for burglary but no previous offences of robbery on his record.

Nichols admitted charges of attempted robbery and robbery arising out of the incidents on the morning of December 10, 2020. He was jailed for 22 months.

Mark Watson, in mitigation, said that the offences happened a few days after Nichols was released from an earlier jail sentence and has now been recalled to prison to complete that sentence.

“He doesn’t recall these offences. What is clear is that these were acts of desperation.”

A tortoise was rescued near Lincoln after flooding disturbed its hibernation and left it in a dangerous situation.

Alexander, a 13-year-old pet tortoise owned by Dunholme resident Stewart Green, was in the middle of hibernation when heavy rain and flooding hit the village on Thursday.

Stewart described the back gardens on Tennyson Drive as “lakes” and said that the back doors were being sandbagged and the fire brigade were pumping water from gardens to protect homes from flooding.

Tennyson Drive in Dunholme was hit with serious flooding on Thursday. | Photo: Diana Johnson

He told The Lincolnite that Alexander usually hibernates in his hedgehog house inside Stewart’s greenhouse, where he will rest from September until spring, but this year he fancied a change.

Alexander was hibernating underneath the compost where Stewart’s tomatoes were growing.

As the flooding got worse and water rose, it was apparent that Alexander was in trouble, so Stewart had to disturb his pet’s sleep to move him into his hedgehog home, where he is now safe and sound.

He dug Alexander out of his compost shelter and moved him into his wooden house, where he now rests under a bed of hay until spring.

Stewart said: “Alexander is now fast asleep again under some hay in his hedgehog house.”

Alexander is back in hibernation, and would like to not be disturbed for a while!

Grimsby welcomed back the Fishermen’s Memorial Statue as it was put back in place at St James’ Square.

The statue was removed from its usual home as part of a transformation at St James’ Square in the town, and is now back after a spruce-up.

It was brought back on Friday, January 15 and lifted carefully into its position, this time facing towards the Minster.

St James’ Square was closed for a major makeover, as the £1.8m overhaul is set to create a family-friendly space for Grimsby.

The majority of works at the square will be completed by the end of January 2021, with new furniture, planting, lighting and CCTV being put in place.

The return of the memorial also allows for plans to be made for the annual Lost Fishermen’s service to come back to the Minster and the square this year, in honour of those who lost their life at sea.

The event was cancelled and instead went virtual in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions, with a recorded event made available to people online.

The memorial facing the Minster means that crowds can gather away from the main footpath during the service, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Gill Ross, chair of the Friends of Grimsby Fishermen’s Mission, said: “To have the statue is an opportunity for us all to be reminded of those who risked their lives for our national dish and for us to say thank you for that.

“The square is the perfect location for it, and we all look forward to the service returning there.”