A robber who grabbed a cash box from a security guard outside Dewsbury Railway Station has been jailed for two years.
Leeds Crown Court heard Adam Lee Ramsden struck as John Smith was returning to his van in the car park having collected money from staff at the ticket booths on August 11.
Graham O’Sullivan , prosecuting, said the box had nearly £12,000 inside and was grabbed by Ramsden as the security man tried to keep hold of it.
In the struggle Mr Smith suffered a cut and graze to his hand before Ramsden succeeded in wrenching it free and jumping into a Vauxhall Vectra car which was driven off.
But Mr O’Sullivan said Ramsden ended up empty handed having discarded the box with its contents only a short distance away after he activated an alarm deterring him from opening it.
On August 23 he also admitted shoplifting three bottles of vodka from a filling station shop.
He was arrested on August 24 and told police he had bought the car on the day of the robbery and had gone to the railway station to pick up a friend but was tempted when he saw the security man.
The court heard Ramsden had 28 previous convictions for 50 offences and at the time of the robbery was under a community order imposed in February this year for criminal damage and burglary.
Imran Khan, representing Ramsden, said he acted on impulse having seen the van and cash courier.
“There was no pre-planning,” he said.
He said Ramsden was still a young man but had a drug habit and would use his time in custody to seek help for that problem.
Ramsden, 29 of Tyersal Hall, Tyersal Lane, Bradford admitted robbery and theft.
Judge James Spencer QC told Ramsden: “You have previous convictions, you know the system better than I do, I suspect. You know committing this offence means you have to go to prison but I will give you full credit for your plea at the first opportunity.”
