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Trial ... Judge Murphy put
Pearson in jail
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'Druff justice for gunman By ALASTAIR TAYLOR
AN ARMED robber trapped by his dandruff 11 YEARS after the raid was jailed yesterday.
Scientists used DNA profiling to link gunman Andrew Pearson to the crime.
Yesterday the gunman was jailed for 15 years for the robbery and having a firearm.
Pearson, 40, and two other masked men stormed the Atlas caravan site, where he had once worked in July 1993, Hull Crown Court was told. Two of the robbers were armed with guns and one had a baseball bat. They bundled a terrified receptionist into an office and rounded up another four members of staff as they demanded cash and made threats to kill.
At one point a gun was fired — shattering a window and injuring one of the petrified workers.
The gang’s raid was planned to coincide with a pay day cash delivery in three security vans. But they mistimed the robbery — some staff had already been paid and one van had not arrived — and they fled with £38,000.
Pearson was only arrested in June after scientists using a new DNA profiling method analysed 25 flakes of dandruff found in a stocking worn as a mask, the court was told.
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Dandruff ... robber Andrew Pearson
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Part of the black stocking was found in the getaway car. There were no blood, saliva or sweat stains on it, but what appeared to be dandruff, which was removed with sticky tape and preserved.
Forensic expert Jonathan Whitaker said: “The profile from the skin flakes absolutely matched the profile from Mr Pearson.”
The chances of the flakes belonging to anyone else were about a
billion to one, the court heard.
Judge Michael Murphy QC, told Pearson, who had 76 previous convictions, that criminals would always be brought to justice in the end.
He added: “You were expecting to get away with nearly £250,000, a weapon was discharged and there were threats to kill people inside.
“You were masked and you were ruthless.” |