A MASKED knife-wielding robber faces jail for raiding a pub full of punters, a bookmakers and a shop during a two-week crime spree.
Convicted burglar Jaymes Lang, 23, burst into The Sun Inn in Feering, on April 14, punched a barman in the face, and forced punters and other staff to lie face-down on the kitchen floor while he and his accomplice Craig Winskill robbed them at knifepoint.
Two days earlier, jobless Lang, of Snowdrop Close, Witham, had walked into the Ladbrokes betting shop in Newland Street, Witham.
He then handed over a note which said: "I don't care any more. I want £500 cash or I will shoot you and your staff. Don't test me, I have nothing to lose."
Then at about 4pm on April 22, Lang went to the Church Street Co-op shop in Bocking and threatened the woman cashier with a knife and demanded money.
When she couldn't open the till and suggested she get a colleague to help, he threw a packet of marshmallows at her, leapt over the counter and tried unsuccessfully to open the till before fleeing on foot with cigarettes.
Winskill, who was apprehended hiding in a field shortly after the Sun Inn raid, told officers "I don't have anything to lose, **** it, it was me."
But Lang was not arrested until a dawn raid at his home in Witham on the morning of April 24 and appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court the next day.
At Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday, Lang, wearing a grey jumper, pleaded guilty to three charges, including two armed robberies and one attempted robbery.
Winskill admitted to one count of armed robbery in relation to the incident at The Sun Inn
Appearing via video link from Chelmsford Prison, Lang and Winskill spoke only to confirm their names and enter their guilty pleas.
Sarah Davis, prosecuting, said: "The use of weapons and force as well as the matter of dangerousness arise in this case."
Stephen Levy, defending, said: "Given the circumstances of this case we would ask for consideration of a psychiatric report."
Judge Charles Gratwicke ordered a pre-sentence report about the pair's mental and offending history.
They were remanded in custody to appear again at Chelmsford Crown Court for sentence on July 21.
