Gambling addict, 25, jailed after threatening Portsmouth TSB bank clerks with 10-inch kitchen knife in £450 robbery

Gambling addict Dylan Smalley walked into TSB in Arundel Street, Landport, with the kitchen knife on October 23 at 3pm hoping to be sent to prison.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard the university dropout had abandoned plans to rob a Paddy Power shop as it was too busy.

The medicated 25-year-old, who suffers from poor mental health, had decided jail would be better than taking his own life.

Prosecutor Jame Kellam said Smalley, of Manners Road, Southsea, called the robbery a ‘cry for help’ when he was interviewed by police.

Jailing Smalley for 40 months, judge Timothy Mousley QC said: ‘Each of the three women have been very shaken and very upset at what had happened. Some of them thought that their lives were potentially in danger and thought they would be stabbed by you if they didn’t comply.’

The woman first approached by Smalley now struggles with daily life and now ‘feels like a different person,’ the judge said.

Addressing Smalley, he added: ‘You said “give me all the money” and she said “you should use your card” and you said something like “I haven’t got a card but I’ve got a knife”.’

The bank had been picked as an ‘easy target in some ways’ the judge said after being told the workers were standing at desks with minimal protection.

Opening the case, Mr Kellam said: ‘The defendant came into the bank and approached [a staff member] who was working at a counter.

‘He asked her for money. She asked him if he had a bank card and he produced instead a kitchen knife.’

A second bank worker saw him reach round the counter and take £450. At that point a third woman emerged from a meeting room.

Mr Kellam said: ‘The defendant turned to her, waved the knife at her and told her to go back where she came from. She did. She went so fast she fell over.’

Officers circulated Smalley’s image captured on CCTV. He was recognised by police in Southampton who had detained him when he previously damaged a police car, although he was not prosecuted for this.

Police in Portsmouth then arrested him at home.

Michael Williams, mitigating, said: ‘He walked into a bank with no form of disguise whatsoever knowing that there would be CCTV everywhere, with a knife. It was plainly apparent what was going to happen to him and indeed that’s what he wanted.

‘The tragedy is he’s ended up at HMP Winchester - perhaps the worst place for anyone in a fragile mental state, particularly for anyone sharing a cell. What benefit he thought he might get hasn’t come.’

He added: ‘Gambling has been his ultimate downfall.’

Smalley admitted threatening with a knife and robbery. He has no previous convictions.

Mr Williams said: ‘Mr Smalley understands people can’t walk into a bank with a knife as a cry for help and he must be sent to prison today.’