Carlton prison officer robbed his local bank to pay gambling debts
A PRISON officer has been given a suspended prison sentence after robbing his local bank.
Paul Goodson, 39, of Carlton, admitted taking £2,910 from the Lloyds TSB branch in Carlton Hill on Friday, December 16.
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Paul Goodson was caught on CCTV camera when he robbed the Lloyds TSB bank in Carlton Hill in December.
Nottingham Crown Court heard how Goodson entered the bank without any attempt to disguise his face, in an attempt to pay off £14,000 accrued through a gambling addiction.
He originally owed around £3,000, but this rose to £14,000 due to high interest loans, the court was told. Goodson hadn't told his partner or family about his debt.
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After entering the bank, he handed a note to the cashier, which read: "Stay calm, I am armed, fill these bags with cash. No harm will come to you if you follow these instructions."
Jim Metcalf, prosecuting, said: "The cashier took the threat to be genuine and filled the bags with cash from her till."
Goodson walked out of the building with the money. But his face was caught on CCTV cameras within the bank and stills of the pictures were circulated. He was recognised and arrested by Notts Police on January 31.
Goodson, who admitted robbery, was given a 12-month suspended prison sentence. In mitigation, Michael Evans said Goodson was "a polite and gentle man" with no previous convictions.
Mr Evans added: "He didn't tell anyone about his debts because he feared he would lose everyone. Rather than admit to his problem he took it all on himself."
Passing sentence, Judge Jonathan Teare described Goodson as "a man of positive, good character."
He added: "You made no effort to conceal your identity. You used that money to pay off substantial debts.
"Even in the back of the police car you admitted it as soon as you possibly could and apologised to the cashier for what you did to her."
A Prison Service spokeswoman confirmed the officer was suspended from his post on February 1.
Comments
by FormerlyW
Saturday, March 03 2012, 1:47PM
“GALady: please stop spamming this website, for a newspaper in a place to which you have no connection, with your pathetic attemps at self-publicity to sell your self-serving books based on exploitung vulnerable people who have a gambling addiction.
If you were actually interested in helping rather than feathering your own nest, you would simply suggest that people contact Gamblers Anonymous, rather than making such transparently cheap attempts to sell your books.”
by madpatman
Saturday, March 03 2012, 12:58PM
“Suspended sentence for bank robbery? In other Western countries you would get 10 years.”
by kent14
Saturday, March 03 2012, 6:51AM
“from mps,councillors and the police, you cannot trust anyone in this greedy selfish country.”
by cafka2020
Thursday, March 01 2012, 9:06PM
“mattgaltress
Are you for real. He walked into a bank and convinced the cashier that he had a gun. Can you imagine the fear that she must have felt, obviously not given your comments. The sentence is a joke. the fact that he had no previous convictions and apologised is neither here nor there. He convinced a human being that he had a gun and that she might be shot. That is crime enough to receive a substantial jail term. The fact that he hasn't has let society down never mind the poor woman who was on the receiving end of his crime.”
by soundmandave
Thursday, March 01 2012, 10:38AM
“Shame he wasn't given a proper sentence - at least he would have felt at home....”
by Conversation
Wednesday, February 29 2012, 4:14PM
“Is it because he's a Prison Officer that he's recieved a suspended sentence. What a fine example of one law for them and one law for us. I don't suppose he'd be too popular inside the nick.”
by BethanyW
Wednesday, February 29 2012, 3:20PM
“The only people who make money from gambling are the bookmakers. They just love taking money from fools.”
by Jbono
Wednesday, February 29 2012, 12:21PM
“GALady....I think you have posted on the wrong site. This is a story about an armed robbery, not a book advertising and publishing forum.”
by GAlady
Tuesday, February 28 2012, 11:57PM
“Sure, everyone loves to gamble . . . if they win. But, the person sitting next to you in church, the man in line at the grocery store, or one of your co-workers; any one of these could be involved with a gambling problem. Imagine your grandmother committing a crime to support her gambling addiction. I am a recovering alcoholic, gambler, and have recovered from other addictive behaviors. I published a book, Gripped by Gambling, where the readers can follow the destructive path of the compulsive gambler, a prison sentence, and then on to the recovery road.
I recently published a second book, Switching Addictions, describing additional issues that confront the recovering addict. If a person who has an addictive personality, doesn't admit to at least two addictions, he's not being honest. Until the underlying issues have been resolved, the person will continue to switch addictions. These are two books you might consider adding to your library. I also publish a free online newsletter, Women Helping Women, which has been on-line for more than twelve years and is read by hundreds of women (and men) from around the world. (http://tinyurl.com/6t3hhfb). I have been interviewed many times, and appeared on the 60 Minutes show in January 2011, which was moderated by Leslie Stahl.
Sincerely,
Marilyn Lancelot”
by sime64
Tuesday, February 28 2012, 1:32PM
“Here is proof, if it were ever needed that we live in a 'them and us' society.
A suspended sentence for a bank robbery is beyond a joke and the judge needs sectioning!”