Armed robber jailed for 14 years for Southampton raids
A man who carried out four armed raids in Southampton, just two days after being released from prison, has been jailed for 14 years.
David Parcell committed the hold-ups over seven hours on 22 December, 2011.
Parcell, 41, of no fixed abode, pointed the imitation firearm at the faces of three of his victims during the raids.
He was convicted of two robberies, two attempted robberies and four counts of possessing a firearm following a trial at Southampton Crown Court.
Parcell, wearing thick-rimmed glasses, was driven around the city by an accomplice as he carried out the raids.
'Incredibly dangerous man'
He walked into the Best One shop in Sholing Road, at 14:45 brandishing the gun, which he pointed into the face of a worker, while demanding money from the till.
The next three raids were committed in quick succession.
Parcell, from Gosport, near Portsmouth, held up a Co-op on Tickleford Drive, Newtown just before 20:00, but the cashier was so terrified she was unable to operate the till so he fled empty-handed.
The heroin addict then entered LA Pizza in Deacon Road, shouting "This is a hold up!" before snatching £15.
The final incident occurred at McColls in Montague Road, at about 21:30, where again, the raider fled empty-handed.
Parcell was arrested after he was identified on CCTV and his getaway car, a grey Nissan, was spotted by a police patrol car. The robber was arrested by armed police.
Passing sentence, Judge Peter Henry told Parcell, who has 47 previous convictions for burglary, blackmail and robbery, that he had an "appalling record".
Speaking outside court, Det Con Tony Welch said: "He is an incredibly dangerous man, someone who has no regard at all for others, someone who is prepared to use any methods to achieve his goal.
"You don't get much worse than having a gun pointed at you, your life flashes before you."