AN armed robber who held up a Selby shop worker could spend the rest of his life behind bars, a judge has warned.

Ian Gary Wynne had already served a ten-year sentence for gun raids when he walked into Farmfoods’ branch on Micklegate shortly before 5pm on October 22 with an imitation pistol and demanded cash from employee Jacqueline Colman. He got away with £2,276 in cash.

But armed police rapidly sealed off part of the town centre and he was arrested shortly afterwards.

Now a judge will have to decide if he is so dangerous he should be locked up indefinitely after he pleaded guilty at York Crown Court to robbery and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to commit an offence.

In November 1997, Wynne, now aged 43, was jailed for ten years for a series of raids on William Hill’s Selby and York branches, other betting shops in Scarborough, Bridlington, Doncaster and West Yorkshire, and a travel agents in Knaresborough. Police mounted a major operation to bring him to justice. They conducted undercover surveillance and tracked him as he carried out the travel agent’s raid.

Leeds Crown Court heard then that he targeted women staff, choosing times when they were alone in their shop or business premises, usually near closing time.

Talking about the Farm Foods raid, Recorder Colin Burn, said at York Crown Court: “The offences to which you have pleaded guilty are extremely serious.”

Adjourning sentence against Wynne, of Monkhill Avenue, Pontefract, for probation service and psychiatric reports to be prepared, the judge added that the sentencing judge will have to decide if Wynne is so dangerous he should be given an indeterminate sentence, which means he could only be released when the Parole Board decides he is no longer a risk to the public.

In 1997, Wynne admitted five robberies, five charges of using an imitation firearm and one of possessing an imitation firearm. He asked for ten more similar offences to be taken into consideration. His then barrister, Tony Kelbrick, said his client was a “pathological gambler” who would do “almost anything to satisfy the craving quickly”.