Drug addict jailed for racially abusing pharmacist at his local chemist shop

Ryan Davies of Lord Murray Drive, Telford, was collecting his methadone from a pharmacy in Madeley on September 20 last year when he attempted to rob the store, Shrewsbury Crown Court sitting at Telford Justice Centre heard yesterday.

The court was told how the 36-year-old was known to staff members as he had been receiving treatment for his drug addiction for four to five months, when he decided to rob the shop.

Judge David Hale heard how Davies had entered the private dispensary area after collecting his prescription and grabbed six ready-made prescriptions from behind the counter.

He told staff he had a knife but the four pharmacy workers refused to let him go and managed to extract the prescriptions from him before Davies left the store.

Before he left, Davies began racially abusing the pharmacist.

He had admitted attempted robbery and a charge of racially aggravated threatening behaviour with fear or provocation of violence.

In jailing Davies for 22 months, Judge Hale was told the drug addict was currently in jail after he committed a burglary at a charity shop last year.

Judge Hale told Davies his crime was a “very unattractive offence”

He added: “They [the pharmacy staff] were only doing their job. The last thing they want on a Tuesday morning is you being offensive, thoroughly offensive and trying to rob them. I hope you are starting to get more assistance in prison.”

He said Davies’ 22 months prison sentence was comprised of 14 months for the attempted robbery and eight months for the racial aggravated offence. He will serve half his sentence before being considered for release.