Paranoid cannabis smoker swallowed £200 in bank notes and threatened residents with an imitation gun

A paranoid cannabis smoker swallowed £200 worth of £20 notes before forcing his way into a terrified couple's home in the middle of the night armed with an imitation gun.
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Ryan Poole had also tried to get into another home armed with the fake weapon before targeting the elderly couple at their home on Wentworth Road, Featherstone, at around 4.30am on June 17 this year.

Leeds Crown Court heard Poole, 24, had developed mental health issues and he had become paranoid about a friend bullying him and demanding money.

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Out of desperation, he ate the money so it would not be taken off him, the court was told.

Ryan Poole was jailed for six years.Ryan Poole was jailed for six years.
Ryan Poole was jailed for six years.

Amanda Johnson, prosecuting, said on the evening of June 16, Poole had called his former partner of six years - whom he was already banned from contacting by a restraining order - saying he was on her street and that he loved her.

He then made threats to hurt her new partner.

At 4.20am the next morning, a resident on Lister Road, Featherstone, had been getting ready for work at home when he noticed a figure stood outside next to an open window in the living room.

Poole, who was wearing a baseball cap and surgical mask, asked the man for a lift, saying someone was after him.

Wentworth Road, Featherstone.Wentworth Road, Featherstone.
Wentworth Road, Featherstone.
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When the shaken resident refused and went to close his window, Poole pulled out a gun and he was forced to duck for cover.

Poole then began tapping the gun on the front door, waking up the man's wife and daughter, before he fled the street.

Ten minutes later on nearby Wentworth Road, a woman was in her kitchen when she heard a knock at the door. Again, it was Poole saying someone was after him.

He told the woman he wanted the keys to her car and said he had a gun.

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When he ordered her to open the door he pushed his way in and pulled out the gun.

He pointed the weapon at the terrified woman and threatened to shoot her.

When Poole got the keys to the couple's Ford Focus, he managed to get into the driver's side before the woman's husband dragged him out and realised the gun was an imitation BB firearm.

Police were called and an armed response unit arrived. Poole put his hands up and said he had mental health issues and needed help.

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During interview he told police he had swallowed pills to harm himself and the £200 in notes, so was taken to Pinderfields Hospital.

He later became difficult and began shouting at a police officer assigned to watch him and who was forced to handcuff him to his hospital bed. He then spat at the officer.

Christopher Morton, mitigating, said Poole had written letters of apology to the victims, whose impact statements were read to the court.

The residents who had the gun pointed at them described how they were traumatised by the events.

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Mr Morton said Poole was frequently unemployed, had been homeless for a spell after splitting from his partner and was described as being isolated and lonely.

He said Poole, now of Rhodes Street, Castleford, had a difficult childhood and used cannabis for many years as a "coping strategy".

Mr Morton said: "He was in crisis at the time and was not acting properly. The paranoia and fears he had were unnatural and illogical."

Poole admitted a charge possessing an imitation firearm, possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear, aggravated burglary, assaulting an

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emergency worker, harassment and breach of a restraining order.

He also admitted careless driving and common assault for an incident in July 2019 when he drove at a friend following an argument, forcing the man onto the bonnet before rolling off.

The man suffered minor injuries.

Judge Robin Mairs jailed Poole for a total of six years, and said: "I accept your remorse is genuine.

"You have had an extremely difficult childhood but there is no doubt of your emotionally unstable, paranoid personality disorder.

"You have attempted to self medicate using cannabis from an early age.

"This is an opportunity to rid yourself of cannabis use."

Poole was also banned from driving for four years.