A HOODED gunman held up a Hereford casino and forced staff to face a wall until they handed over more £2k in takings.

Worcester Crown Court was told two staff feared being shot by Ionut Juganaru who admitted robbery and a firearms charge.

Juganaru, 26, of Ryelands Street, Hereford, was jailed for six years.
The court heard how a customer slipped away from the early morning hold-up at Cashino, Eign Gate, to call the police.

Hooded, with a scarf across his face, Juganaru menaced staff with a “life-like” pistol and forced them to face a wall, said Simon Phillips, prosecuting.

Two staff who feared they were going to be shot have been unable to work since,” said Mr Phillips.

Juganaru took £2,415 in notes, rejecting the coins, and fled to Victoria Street underpass where he changed clothes.

Hunted by armed police, Juganaru was spotted and arrested soon afterwards in the city centre.

His pistol was found to be a ball-bearing gun.

John Dyer, defending, said the robbery had been “sheer stupidity” by Juganaru, a Romanian national, who was earning up to £400 a week at a plastics factory in Bromyard.

Juganaru, said Mr Dyer, had not been able to give an explanation for his action beyond “being tired”.

The court was told Juganaru wished to apologise not only to casino staff but to “the United Kingdom” for giving him a chance to work.