AN ADDICT, who poured petrol on himself and goaded armed police to kill him after carrying out two drug-fuelled raids on convenience stores, has been jailed.

Lloyd Bailey, aged 25, of Shrewsbury Close, Newport, appeared at Newport Crown Court today, after pleading guilty to robbery, attempted robbery and possessing of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Appearing alongside him was Victoria Moody, aged 27, of Scott Close, Newport, who pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods.

Prosecuting, David Pugh, told the court the pair arrived together at the first convenience store on Malpas Road at around 8.15am on June 6, of this year.

“Victoria Moody entered the shop and started a conversation. Shortly after, Lloyd Bailey entered,” he said, before Bailey threatened the woman behind the till.

“He had a mask which covered his face and he pulled out a Stanley knife."

“He said “Give me the money” while brandishing the Stanley knife,” said the barrister, adding that the shopkeeper’s husband heard her screams and attempted to intervene, entering into a scuffle with Bailey.

Mr Pugh added Bailey lost a shoe in the struggle and ran around 0.2 of a mile – to the second convenience store, located on Albany Street and threatened another woman at the counter.

“He demanded she went to the till. He pointed the knife at her,” he said.

“She was panicking and could not do it. She tried to press the panic alarm but could not do it.”

The barrister then told the court what the shopkeeper shouted while Bailey was in her store: “Help me he’s trying to rob me. He’s got a knife.”

As he left the store, Bailey took a mobile phone – which contained a bank credit in the leather phone wallet – and handed it to Moody.

The court heard armed police officers were called to Shrewsbury Close and a five hour stand-off took place as officers were trying to persuade Bailey to surrender himself from his flat.

Mr Pugh told the court Bailey poured accelerant on himself and his front door.

He said: “He had a tea towel on his hand while in the other was the knife. He had an orange plastic handgun with black tape around it.”

The barrister read a statement from the firearms officers, which stated it was “likely that they would have engaged the defendant with his firearm” had there been less shelter in Shrewsbury Close.

“He said he would cut his own throat,” said Mr Pugh.

“He also had taken a significant amount of paracetamol, he became less coherent and fell asleep at the window.”

This allowed the police to enter the flat and arrest Bailey, who later suggested to police that the “DNA was stolen from him”, said Mr Pugh.

Harry Baker, defending Bailey, said he had turned to drugs due to personal issues.

“His daughter was taken away from him and he began to drink and take drugs under the influence of others,” he said.

As a result of his drug abuse, Mr Baker said Bailey had a “limited recollection” of the incident.

However, Mr Baker added that Bailey hopes to turn his life around and was ready to accept the consequences of his actions.

“He will not come back before the courts again,” he said.

Sophie Toms, defending Moody, said she was struggling with her own drug dependency.

“It was a very dark period with an addiction spiralling out of control for a horrendous period of eight years,” she said.

Like her co-defendant, Miss Toms added that Moody was making steps to kick her addiction, and was midway through a course of methadone treatment.

“She had made a change to her behaviour,” said Miss Toms, adding that she had not missed appointments in relation to her drug habit.

Judge Daniel Williams acknowledged that at the time Bailey was under the influence of drugs, but said his actions were aggravated by concealing his face.

“You went into the shop with a mask which covered your face,” he said, “You pointed the knife at them and demanded money from them.

“You poured petrol on yourself, on a tea towel and on your door. You said you were going to cut your throat and a five hour stand-off occurred with armed police officers.

“You armed yourself with a firearm. The armed officers believed it was a real gun and that was your intention.

“You goaded them to shoot you. You ran out of energy and consciousness and the police manage to come in and arrest you.”

Bailey received a total sentence of five years and four months – four years to run consecutively for the robbery and attempted robbery and one year and four months for imitation firearm possession to run concurrent to the robbery sentence.

In relation to Moody, Mr Williams said: “You were very close to the circumstances but in reality you were not party to it.”

Moody received an 18 month community order in the form of a 35-day rehabilitation activity order and an £85 surcharge.