Man carrying wooden shank jailed for two robberies in Reading

A man has been jailed after carrying out two robberies in Reading.

Wayne Mcleod, of HMP Coldingley, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison at Reading Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of two counts of robbery on Friday 11 November.

The 45-year-old entered Corals bookmakers in Erleigh Road armed with an item described as a wooden shank, a wooden stick shaven to a point, at around 6.55pm on 4 June.

He made verbal threats towards a member of staff behind the counter, a man in his 20s who was working alone, and took a quantity of cash from the till before leaving.

Around 4pm the next day, Mcleod made verbal threats to a member of staff, who was working alone, at the till in the Co-operative, also in Erleigh Road.

He forced the victim, a man in his 20s, to hand over a quantity of cash from the till.

Officers arrested Mcleod on 6 June and he was charged the following day.

Detective Constable Abi Carver, of the Priority Crime Team based at Reading police station, said: “Wayne Mcleod targeted shop workers working alone for his robberies, for one of which he was armed.

“We will never tolerate such criminality within Reading and the wider Thames Valley so I am pleased Mcleod has been brought to justice.”

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