A ROBBER who struck at a betting office was jailed for two-and-a-half years yesterday.

Paul Boaler, 23, of Bruce Street, Hartlepool, admitted robbing John Joyce Bookmaker, in Winterbottom Avenue, Hartlepool, on April 30 last year.

Greg Purcell, prosecuting, said Boaler and an unknown man went into the premises at 5.45pm and Boaler went to the toilets.

When Boaler - who had drunk two litres of strong cider - came out he saw a female cashier emptying a gaming machine.

Mr Purcell said Boaler grabbed the woman from behind, pushing and pulling at the bag containing £117 in coins, and the woman fell.

The defendant and the other man ran from the shop.

Mr Purcell said Boaler's picture was taken from security camera images in the shop and he was arrested.

He told police he was drunk, but denied pushing the cashier.

Robin Denny, mitigating, said it was a spur of the moment crime and denied the other man was an accomplice.

However, Judge Guy Whitburn QC said he thought it was a premeditated robbery.

He thought Boaler had watched the betting shop and probably knew at roughly what time the machines would be emptied.