Man in Joker Costume Sentenced for Armed Robbery

Peter Braithwaite, 31, entered a Morrisons supermarket in Jarrow, South Tyneside on July 8, with his face painted to resemble the Batman villain.

When staff attempted to stop him from leaving with a trolley full of unpaid groceries, Braithwaite brandished a knife with a six-inch blade and threatened them. CCTV footage captured the incident, showing Braithwaite, dressed in black with a black backpack, pointing the knife at employees and shouting, "Do you want a bit? Do you want to get stabbed? Do you want to die?"

Witnesses described being in fear, with one security guard believing he and his colleagues were in danger of a violent attack. One staff member reported experiencing "panic and anxiety" since the incident, feeling "complete dread" at the prospect of confronting shoplifters. "I keep thinking about the moment when the offender with the painted face pulled a knife out and pointed it towards me asking if I wanted it," the worker stated. "He looked so frightening, his eyes were bulging. I believed I was going to be stabbed."

Braithwaite admitted to robbery at Newcastle Crown Court. Sentencing him, Recorder Jamie Hill KC described the event as "a terrifying incident, essentially threatening to stab several people who were trying to do their job." He acknowledged Braithwaite's remorse but emphasized the lasting impact on the victims.

Robin Turton, defending, stated that Braithwaite, who has mental health issues, now understands the impact of his actions and is sorry for them.