Daniel Thomas, 40, robbed two corner shops at knifepoint in the space of a week in Aberavon, south Wales, and in the second raid he physically assaulted and threatened to stab staff16:57, 28 May 2026This shameless robber smirked at police after his arrest — yet then claimed he was sorry for his offences.‌Daniel Thomas held up two convenience stores at knifepoint within the space of a week and, during the second of which, he physically attacked and threatened to stab staff. A court heard the 40-year-old thug was detained two days after the second raid, grinned for his custodial image and gave a "no comment" interview.‌But police in south Wales analysed Thomas' mobile phone, which showed he had been in the vicinity of both robberies at the relevant times. He was also arrested wearing the same trainers he had on when he was pictured on CCTV in the areas of the robberies.‌Although Thomas' lawyer said the man since expressed "a strong sense of shame and remorse", he was sentenced to 56 months in jail. Sitting at Swansea Crown Court, Recorder Simon Hughes said: "You have wasted a substantial proportion of your life in prison. As a result of this, you will waste more".The court heard Thomas became emboldened by the first "successful" raid on March 18, in which he made off with hundreds of pounds. His violence during the second robbery has had a lasting impact on the shop workers involved. Sian Cutter, prosecuting, said Thomas wore his hood up and a scarf concealing the lower half of his face when he walked into the CostCutter store in Aberavon, south Wales, at closing time and brandished a knife at the sole member of staff on duty.‌Thomas used the knife to signal to his victim that he should open the till. The worker complied with the demand, and the robber seized approximately £500 before making his escape. The court was told that the second raid took place on March 25, when Thomas entered the Premier Store in the area once again with his hood raised and his face hidden. The defendant brandished a knife at a female member of staff and forced her behind the counter, ordering her to open the till. The woman told him she was unable to open it without processing a sale first.The prosecutor explained that at this point a male colleague who had been in the stockroom came into the shop, to which Thomas responded by manhandling both members of staff — grabbing, pushing and shoving them — while threatening to stab them. The male employee opened the till and Thomas snatched cash estimated at between £500 and £800 before fleeing the scene, reports Wales Online.The court heard that in the wake of the robberies, officers conducted an extensive review of CCTV footage from across Aberavon and Port Talbot, successfully piecing together the movements of a suspect travelling to and from the shops.Article continues belowThomas, of Aberavon, had previously pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, two counts of robbery, and two counts of possession of a bladed article when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has 26 previous convictions for 73 offences, including two for batteries and 37 theft and kindred matters. His most recent conviction was from February 2025 for domestic burglary and non-dwelling burglary, for which he received a suspended sentence.Caitlin Brazel, representing Thomas, argued that the defendant had turned to drugs as a "coping mechanism" following the death of his mother, adding that as his debts mounted, threats were made against him and his family, and that he carried out the robberies out of "desperation". She stated that Thomas "feels a strong sense of shame and remorse" for his actions, and that her client understands he must change his ways "or his life will pass him by in a prison cell". Recorder Simon Hughes informed Thomas he had put his victims through a horrifying ordeal which had profoundly affected their lives and their satisfaction in their work. He observed the second robbery had seen the defendant making additional threats and employing physical violence against his victims, and he believed this stemmed from the defendant developing "confidence" following the first "successful" robbery.With one-third reductions for his guilty pleas Thomas was handed 56 months behind bars. The recorder activated 14 months of the previously imposed burglary suspended sentence to run consecutively making an overall sentence of 70 months. Thomas will serve half the sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.