TWO men have admitted carrying out a robbery at a Weymouth post office armed with a shotgun.

Stephen James McCourt, 49, and James McMillan-McHendrie, 59, initially denied committing the robbery at Broadmeadow post office within the McColl’s convenience store in Portland Road in Wyke Regis in August last year.

They had been due to stand trial at Dorchester Crown Court later this month, however they appeared at the court and both pleaded guilty to robbing Linda Dickason of £2,055 and possessing a firearm with intent to commit robbery.

The pair have now been warned they face lengthy prison sentences when they return to the court to be sentenced next month.

McHendrie-McMillan, of Here-ford Road, Weymouth, and McCourt, of Chickerell Road, Weymouth, were arrested within minutes of the raid, which occurred at around 9.30am on August 27.

They entered not guilty pleas to the offences in October last year but have since reconsidered their positions.

Robert Pawson, representing McMillan-McHendrie, said: “This has been some weeks coming as there have been discussions between the defence and the Crown Prosecution Service.”

He said his client now fully admitted the charges put by the prosecution, although he claimed he did not know the sawn-off shotgun that was used in the robbery was loaded.

Mr Pawson added that McMillan-McHendrie had an ‘appalling record’ of previous convictions, mainly relating to a background of alcohol and heroin addiction, as he asked for the case to be adjourned for pre-sentence reports to be prepared.

Benjamin Long, representing McCourt, said his client’s record was ‘probably worse’ than that of his co-defendant and included an offence of armed robbery dating back to 1996, which related to a robbery at a building society in Bridport.

The pair were remanded in custody as Judge Roger Jarvis adjourned sentencing until March 14.

He warned the two defendants: “You both realise that you are facing the prospect of a lengthy sentence of imprisonment.

“I’m going to require the assistance of the Probation Service before I make up my mind as to the length of the custodial sentence and therefore I’m going to ask for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.”

long jail terms ‘would make others think twice’

BUSINESSES on Portland Road were hopeful that long sentences would deter other robberies in the area.

Gillian Fulmer, of Chesil Bait and Tackle, said: “It’s a worry for shop owners, because if they can do it at the post office, what’s to stop anyone doing it here?

“But, hopefully, they will get sentences that will make others think twice.”

Mick Neville, club steward at Wyke Regis Working Men’s Club, praised the response of the police.

He said: “A lot of people knock them, but they did well to find the culprits so quickly.

“I think people who do this sort of thing get away far too easily a lot of the time, so it would be nice to see longer sentences.”

Helen Inglis of the Dorset Cake Company, said: “It was obviously upsetting at the time, and it put a lot of people on edge. It was a very shocking occurrence, because Wyke is such a close-knit place.”

Both McColl’s and Linda Dickason did not want to comment.