A 64-year-old Birchington man has been jailed after attempting to rob a bank at Westwood Cross while pretending to be armed with a gun.
On 29 January, Gary Fishlock entered HSBC bank at the shopping centre and threatened the staff, demanding money. A member of staff working at the front counter was approached by Fishlock, who slid her a note reading: ‘I have a gun, put the money in the bag’.
She believed the threat to be genuine and immediately alerted her colleagues. During her police interview, she explained that the man was holding a concealed item inside a bag, which she feared was a firearm. She described how he pointed the bag slightly above knee height towards the counter, making it clear that something was inside.
Fishlock began to make further verbal demands, stating ‘I want money, give me money’. Employees quickly retreated to secure rooms at the back of the bank and contacted emergency services. A 999 call was made at 2.45pm, with the caller reporting that a male had entered their place of work and was in possession of a firearm, making threats and demanding money.
Fishlock stayed inside the bank for approximately one minute after the alarm had been sounded, before leaving and standing outside the entrance. Just 15 minutes after the initial call was made, firearms officers arrived on scene and arrested him, a search revealed that no weapon was inside the bag he had brought to the bank and he had used a vape as a ‘gun’.
Fishlock, who had recently lost his job, partner and home, was remanded in custody and later charged with attempted robbery and possession of an imitation firearm in a public place. He attended Margate Magistrates’ Court the next day and later pleaded guilty to both charges.
Yesterday (1 April) Fishlock, of Shottendane Road, Birchington, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment at Canterbury Crown Court.
Detective Constable Adam Pope said: “This was a frightening ordeal for the staff involved, who had no way of knowing whether the threat was real. Their quick actions ensured their own safety and allowed tactical officers to apprehend the suspect without delay.
“Fishlock’s behaviour was reckless and intimidating, and this sentence reflects the seriousness of his actions, as well as the emotional damage he has caused to those involved.”
He used to live in Ramsgate I imagine!
Thankfully I live in Ramsgate, its not as rough as Birchington is nowadays!
Shootendane Road? Must be the caravan site!
Rubbish sentence, this sentence does not reflect the seriousness of his actions – that’s worth a 5 year stretch, perhaps more.
Birchington with bank robbers ,such a nice place,who would have thought that of a gentle little village
They have to travel to though, all the banks shut years ago.
There is a Nationwide. Easy to open an account there is you want convenient banking. And there rates on easy access accounts are much better than those of banks.
Not easy to rob though (apparently).
Not with what looks like an empty carrier bag-being held in the wrong hand, that the other guy had the chance to flee but stood still waiting his turn indicates that nobody really thought this clown had a firearm.
That he could have just gone & hopped on a bus outside, but elected to stand outside for 15 minutes waiting for the firearms team to turn up indicates he was not a man in his right mind
He may have dementia
The article stated, “lost job, partner and home”. What he did has to be condemned, but he may have been looking for free accommodation! Which he has achieved at the public’s expense! Going to prison will bring some sort of structure to his life and a two year sentence, means he will be out with time already served and early release in around nine months. Hopefully, he can get his life then sorted.
And he will still be too young to claim his state pension,when released.Life is a bitch.
Ha ha ha !! There’s no cash at any counter; it’s only in the ATMs. That’s what the staff told me when I wanted to withdraw cash from there once. He shoud have done his homework, the loser.
Rather sums up the UK now-the few banks that remain no longer deal with money. About as useful as the empty cheese shop in Monty Python-finest bank in the area sir. How? Well it’s so clean sir. Well it is certainly uncontaminated by any currency.
PS – This was straight oot of a Woody Allen scene where he produced a note saying “I have a gub”.
As good a bank robber as Eric Morecambe was. Looks like the old duffer was just waving an empty carrier bag around, also holding the ‘gun’ in his wrong hand-after giving over the note with his right hand he then holds the bag in his left hand. The other guy didn’t even appear to think it was a genuine robbery.
Whatever happened to security screens in banks?
Sounds more like a cry for help to me, and it looks like he got it. Banged up in a cosy cell, with 3 squares a day, will he be able to draw his pension?
Will be reading about an elderly disabled man holding up a bank in Ramsgate next?
Is there a bank in Ramsgate? Thats news to me!
It’s Easter: Praise the Loyds!
Nothing to lose, sad individual with no other option. Glad we’re not under Reform, he’d be classed as a feckless, lazy benefit claimant. Be careful what you wish for people!
Everything is sooo much better under Labour. QED.
No other option but to attempt to rob a bank? Pretty sure most people faced with housing issues, losing a job & relationship problems use more practical ways to cope.
Or maybe just as a wannabe bank robber – which is what he really is.
For those of you who laughed and called him a loser,you might well recall that easter celebrates the conviction and execution of a felon, who miraculously was ressurected.I bet back then there was a Claudius who laughed and called him a loser!
You might well find it is laughable to hear that incarcerating will cost up to £100k depending on the type of prison.That and the cost of rehabilitation is a high price to sustain silo management in local government.It might look funny to the outside observer, but facing a half crazed individual who might have some kind of firearm is no joke.
Jesus is alive and well George, trust me. Yes he was wrongfully convicted, and executed by the Jews, but we have them to thank because its unlikely Christianity would have survived today had they not killed the son of God!
Every cult devours their leader in the end-must be why there are still hot cross buns.
Jesus was executed by the Romans (Longinus is hardly a Jewish name), not the Jews.
Ahhh… so that’s what George Nokes looks like!
The court heard that despite Fishlock’s criminal record of 13 previous convictions for 29 offences, including ones for robbery in 1981, wounding in 1984, and causing grievous bodily harm in 1989, he had led a law-abiding life since 2003.
The Judge provided even more silliness to proceedings-you really couldn’t just let the guy keep his vape in jail? Treating it like a haul of heroin or a suspicious package.
As well as jailing Fishlock, who has been on remand since his arrest, the judge ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the vape.
I see a cry for help tbh lost his job wife n home that is not easy it’s not funny tbh but I do feel for him slightly im glad it wasn’t has serious has it could have been and hope all staff have not been scared too much not easy having a supposedly fire arms near on In ya face and hope they recover from this with no lasting effects