Robber with axe jailed for 12 years

A man who burgled a house,  stole a car and then proceeded to commit a robbery with an axe, before being involved in a car crash has been jailed for 12 years.

Danny O’Driscoll, 33 of Four Acres, Bishopsworth, was handed the sentence at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday (7 March) after pleading guilty to a number of offences.

O’Driscoll pleaded guilty to robbery, dwelling burglary, assaulting an emergency worker, aggravated vehicle taking, possession of a weapon in a public place, threatening with a bladed article in a public place and driving while disqualified.

He was sentenced to 12 years in prison and disqualified from driving for seven years and four months.

The court heard how on Friday 8 April last year, O’Driscoll burgled a house in Bedminster Down, where he made off with a car.

He then attended a shop in East Street, Bedminster, where he threatened staff with an axe and robbed them.

Members of the public managed to detain O’Driscoll before he broke free and threatened them with a knife.

O’Driscoll managed to make it back to the stolen car and drove off from the scene. While making his escape, he collided with a PCSO on foot patrol, who was thankfully unharmed, before colliding with a member of public’s vehicle. He was arrested a short time after.

Officer in the case, PC Louise Jones, said: “O’Driscoll’s disregard for the public’s safety in this case is shocking. He broke into someone’s home, stole their belongings, then robbed and threatened staff in a shop before further threats to the public.

“He caused a great deal of alarm and distress through his terrible series of crimes. We would like to thank the public for their attempts to detain O’Driscoll and we hope they are reassured by this significant sentence.

“We will do our upmost to hold criminals to account for their actions.”