A 41-year old man has been jailed for robbing a Gloucestershire pharmacy at knifepoint last year.

He was apprehended after one pharmacy staff member managed to escape and call the police.

According to Avon and Somerset Police, on Thursday 8 August 2024, Daniel Bennett entered the pharmacy in Winterbourne, Gloucestershire, armed with a knife.

He forced staff to the back of the premises, where he threatened to harm them unless medication was handed over.

But one pharmacy staff member, who was on their lunch break at the time, was able to walk out of the pharmacy behind Mr Bennett.

'I made it out and called the police,' they said.

Mr Bennett then left the pharmacy and got into a car driven by Natasha O’Driscoll, 34, who also had a child in the car with her leaning out of the passenger window.

When police apprehended Ms O'Driscoll, they found 'a large amount of prescription drugs' in her car but did not find Mr Bennett.

He was then located in the car park of a nearby pub, where he had 'a knife and a quantity of prescription drugs'.

Pharmacy staff were not physically harmed during the incident, but were 'shaken' by what had happened.

The staff member who had called the police said: 'I stayed in work until the following Thursday but I had to take time off work due to lack of sleep, because I was getting flashbacks to what happened.

'This is not something any of us will be able to get over. We feel unsafe and I will always be looking over my shoulder.'

In a trial at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 7 March, Mr Bennett pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a bladed article, and was jailed for six years and nine months, with an extended three-year licence period.

And Ms O’Driscoll pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and neglect of a child under 16, and was given a 12-month community order and ordered to pay a fine.

The police officer in the case, DC Craig Bennett, said that the offender's actions 'were reckless and dangerous'.

'He appeared to give no thought for how his behaviour would harm those around him, he was focused on stealing those prescription drugs for his own benefit.

'The victims have been left feeling vulnerable and fearful following the incident and I have to commend them for the strength they have shown in supporting our investigation.

'O’Driscoll acted as the getaway driver for Bennett’s scheme, but she not only endangered her own life, but also that of a child’s.'

This month, another man in Kent was also sentenced for the armed robbery of a pharmacy at knifepoint.

According to Kent Police, Jack Holland-Batt, 31, threatened a member of staff in a pharmacy in Gillingham with a knife at around midday on 25 November 2024.

He demanded cash, and the staff member gave him around £20 from the till.

Mr Holland-Batt became 'more aggressive' and asked for more but was told there was none. He then left the pharmacy and then went to an amusement arcade and another business, where he also threatened employees at knife point, the police said.

He was caught after he contacted Kent Police confessing to his crimes but not specifying where he was.

Although Mr Holland-Batt was of no fixed address, police went to an address he frequented, and arrested him as he approached the front door.

He tried to give a false name and was taken into custody.

He was later charged with two robberies, an attempted robbery and possessing a bladed article in a public place. After pleading guilty, he was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Emma Laimbeer, said: ‘Nobody should suffer violence whilst at work and I would like to thank the victims who assisted our investigation and ensured this criminal has been brought to justice.’

In a recent survey by Community Pharmacy England, more than three quarters (77%) of pharmacy team members said their work was negatively impacting their mental health and wellbeing, and one in three said they were either 'barely coping' or 'not coping at all'.

More than half (56%) said abuse from patients was making it hard to cope at work, while 92% cited workload, 85% cited problems sourcing medicines, and 40% cited lack of available staff.