Accrington armed robber jailed after using imitation firearm at shop
Lee Willson sentenced to five years for shop robbery
Lee Willson has been sentenced to five years and two months in prison after conducting an armed robbery at a shop in Accrington.
The 30-year-old from Gratton Road, Bradford, wore a skull balaclava mask and wielded an imitation firearm with a silencer as he entered the Best One store on Blackburn Road.
Demanding money from the lone cashier, Willson threatened to shoot and repeatedly pointed the weapon during the attempted robbery at 11.35pm on 17th December, 2025.
When the cashier failed to open the till, Willson grabbed cigarette packets from a drawer beneath the counter and fled the store.
CCTV footage showed Willson waiting outside the shop for around 10 minutes until a customer left, before committing the robbery.
Earlier the same evening, Willson was seen stealing alcohol from a Tesco store on Eagle Street.
Willson appeared at Preston Crown Court and pleaded guilty to charges of robbery, possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and theft.
Detective Constable Shaun Whittaker of Blackburn CID stated that Willson’s use of a highly realistic imitation firearm led to a distressing and dangerous situation for staff.
Whittaker welcomed the custodial sentence as a reflection of the seriousness of crimes involving firearms or replica weapons.