Man with Joker face paint jailed for 40 months over knife robbery at Jarrow Morrisons
A 31-year-old man who entered a Morrisons in Jarrow with his face painted as the Joker and threatened staff with a knife was jailed for 40 months at Newcastle Crown Court. His defence cited schizophrenia; the judge noted he was high on drink and drugs.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Peter Brathwaite, 31 (spelled Braithwaite by Metro), was jailed for 40 months at Newcastle Crown Court after pleading guilty to robbery at a Morrisons supermarket in Jarrow, Tyneside. Daily ExpressR “He pleaded guilty to robbery and was jailed for 40 months at Newcastle Crown Court.” Read at Daily Express ↗ MetroLC “He pleaded guilty to robbery and was handed a 40-month prison sentence.” Read at Metro ↗ Mixed · 2The court heard he entered the store in The Viking Centre at around 3.15pm on 8 July with his face painted to resemble the Joker, Batman's enemy, and tried to leave with a trolley of groceries without paying. Daily ExpressR “Brathwaite entered the store in The Viking Centre, Jarrow, at around 3.15pm on July 8 while resembling Batman's infamous archenemy.” Read at Daily Express ↗ MetroLC “CCTV footage shows the man pushing a trolley filled with food while holding what appears to be a knife as he passed other shoppers.” Read at Metro ↗ Right · 1Female staff told him he had to pay; he replied "Speak to your manager" and winked, according to the prosecution. Daily ExpressR “Brathwaite, of Wilkinson Court Tower, Jarrow, replied: "Speak to your manager," before winking at them.” Read at Daily Express ↗
Mixed · 2Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw said that when staff held the trolley and a male security member approached, he produced a folding knife and threatened them with the six-inch blade, saying "Do you want to get stabbed" and "do you want to die?", so that staff backed away. Daily ExpressR “He produced a folding knife and threatened staff with the six inch blade.” Read at Daily Express ↗ MetroLC “while pointing the knife as staff backed away, the prosecutor said.” Read at Metro ↗ Mixed · 2He pushed the trolley towards his nearby home, where a neighbour who approached him said he did not speak but stared wide-eyed; police arrested him and found the knife and stolen items. Daily ExpressR “Police were called immediately and officers rushed to the scene where Brathwaite was arrested. They also found the knife and stolen supermarket items.” Read at Daily Express ↗ MetroLC “Police caught Braithwaite from his home nearby with the knife and stolen shopping.” Read at Metro ↗ Mixed · 2In a victim impact statement, a female member of staff said she now suffers anxiety and stress, fears dealing with male shoplifters, and believed she was going to be stabbed because his "eyes were bulging". Daily ExpressR “I believed I was going to be stabbed.” Read at Daily Express ↗ MetroLC “with one female worker saying she now suffers from anxiety and stress as a result.” Read at Metro ↗
Right · 1Defence barrister Robin Turton said Brathwaite was "in a bad place at the time", is deeply sorry and ashamed, has schizophrenia linked to the offending, and is willing to comply with treatment. Daily ExpressR “He has schizophrenia, which is linked to his offending. He is willing and ready to comply with treatment” Read at Daily Express ↗ Mixed · 2Recorder Jamie Hill KC acknowledged his mental health problems but said he was acting "to a large extent while high on drink and drugs", that four people were threatened with the knife and others would have been afraid, and that the incident was terrifying. Brathwaite has no previous convictions. Daily ExpressR “There were four people threatened with the knife and others who would have been afraid of it.” Read at Daily Express ↗ MetroLC “acting to a large extent while high on drink and drugs.” Read at Metro ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Metro leads on the threat to staff, with CCTV video and the quote "do you want to die?" in the headline.
- Emphasis
- CCTV footage, staff trauma and the court's account of events.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not give the time of the incident, the four people threatened, or his lack of previous convictions.
- Charged language
- “wannabe-Joker”“menacing”
- For example
-
“A menacing armed robber raided a Morrisons with his face painted as The Joker, leaving staff fearing for their lives.” — Metro
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The Daily Express leads on horror and terror in the store, with the victim's "eyes bulging" quote in the headline.
- Emphasis
- Victim's fear, the judge's remarks and the defence plea, with more detail on sentencing.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the CCTV footage that Metro reports.
- Charged language
- “Horror in Morrisons”“Batman baddie”“terrorised shoppers”“Joker impersonator”
- For example
-
“A knife-wielding robber with his face painted as the Joker caused terror in a UK supermarket.” — Daily Express
What every side reports
- Peter Brathwaite/Braithwaite, 31, pleaded guilty to robbery and was jailed for 40 months at Newcastle Crown Court.
- The robbery took place at the Morrisons in The Viking Centre, Jarrow, on 8 July.
- He wore Joker face paint, threatened staff with a six-inch knife and said "do you want to die".
- The defence linked the offending to schizophrenia; the judge said he was largely high on drink and drugs.
Peter Brathwaite person
Through his barrister, he is said to be deeply sorry and ashamed, to have schizophrenia linked to the offending, and to be willing to take treatment.
“He is deeply sorry and ashamed.” — Daily Express
Morrisons organisation
A female Morrisons employee said in a victim impact statement that she feared being stabbed and now has anxiety; the company itself is not quoted.
“The robbery was simply terrifying.” — Daily Express
Left1 article
-
MetroLC ·
Knife-wielding robber dressed as The Joker asked Morrisons staff ‘do you want to die?’
Mixed Court report with CCTV imagery stressing staff fear, with a slightly mocking tone towards the defendant.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
Horror in Morrisons as armed robber dressed as Batman baddie storms store - ‘eyes bulging’
Alarmist Dramatic account stressing terror and the victim's fear, relayed from Chronicle Live court reporting.
- 29 Oct 10:54 First Daily ExpressR Horror in Morrisons as armed robber dressed as Batman baddie storms store - ‘eyes bulging’
- 29 Oct 12:16 +1h 22m MetroLC Knife-wielding robber dressed as The Joker asked Morrisons staff ‘do you want to die?’
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…