Two men jailed for armed robberies across Essex

Ryan Walsh, was sentenced to ten years imprisonment and Michael McDonagh 12 years, when they both appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday December 22.

Both were charged with robberies and offensive weapon offences after taking part in four armed robberies at Essex stores.

The two men targeted Co-op stores at closing time between May and August 2017.

On each occasion they were armed with hammers and knives, threatening staff to hand over takings.

Ryan Walsh, 22, previously of Churchill Road, Braintree, appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court on December 16 2020 and was remanded in custody.

A warrant was issued for Michael McDonagh, 25, of no fixed abode, after he failed to appear at the same court earlier, on December 1, 2020.

Detectives arrested him in June 2021.

Both pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to three counts of robbery that took place in Silver End, Flitch Green and Bocking in 2017.

McDonagh also pleaded guilty to a fourth robbery that took place in Witham on August 13 2017.

Both men were also convicted of multiple counts of possessing an offensive weapon used at the time of the robberies.

Walsh and McDonagh pleaded guilty to all offences including four offensive weapon charges for Walsh and six offensive weapon charges for McDonagh, and were jailed yesterday (December 22).

DC Leeson, of Braintree CID, who led the investigation said: “McDonagh and Walsh have been sentenced for multiple robberies that put innocent people in fear of their own safety as they went about their working day.

"These robberies were planned acts of violence and some of those involved are still suffering from the effects today.

"The court has seen fit to jail them for at least ten years each, to reflect the severity of their actions.”

McDonagh was also convicted of a residential burglary that took place in Potters Bar in March 2018 and a violent disorder in Braintree from January 2019.

He received a total sentence of 15 years imprisonment.