Axe-wielding robber from Bristol jailed for 12 years
Danny O’Driscoll from Bishopsworth was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to a number of offences
A man has been jailed for 12 years and has been disqualified from driving for 84 months after burgling a house, stealing a car and then committing a robbery with an axe before being involved in a car crash.
The incident happened on April 8, 2022 - and last week, Danny O’Driscoll, 33 of Four Acres, Bishopsworth, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court.
It's after he pleaded guilty to a number of offences on Tuesday (7 March).
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.
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. and then visited a shop in East Street - where he threatened staff with an axe before robbing them.
Members of the public managed to detain O’Driscoll before he broke free and threatened them with a knife - he then drove off from the scene in the stolen car.
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.”