Rory Seager ( pictured outside court ) attempted to rob the bookmakers by claiming the tin of pilchards he was carrying was a bomb . A hopeless robber has been spared jail after he tried to hold up a bookmaker 's shop with a tin of pilchards . Rory Seager , 18 , owed a friend £1,800 and spent the day ploughing his last pennies into roulette machines hoping to win the money until he was down to his last pound . The 6ft 4in teenager then hit upon a plan to rob the bookies , where he was a regular customer . He bought a 99p tin of John West pilchards from his local corner shop and burst into a William Hill in Ilford , Essex , on 20 December last year . Seager demanded cash and claimed the tin of fish in tomato sauce he had in a black bag was a lethal explosive device , Snaresbrook Crown Court heard . ' I 've got a bomb , ' he told astonished cashier Adeyemi Awomudu , who simply walked off into a secure room at the back of the shop . Seager hurled his fishy snack across the shop in frustration and left . Mr Awomudu had recognised him and Seager was arrested shortly afterwards , confessing to his bungled plan immediately at the police station . He admitted attempted robbery and one count of communicating false information about a bomb hoax . Edward Franklin , prosecuting , said : 'In respect of the bomb hoax , this was n't a classic bomb hoax in that the security services were n't alerted and there 's no evidence that any action was taken by the authorities . 'Both my learned friend and I agree that this is best dealt with as an attempted robbery - you can say you have a knife or a gun , in this case it was a tin of pilchards masquerading as a bomb . ' Judge Karl King remarked : 'The thing that moved the man behind the counter to go behind the safe and into the secure room was undoubtedly the belief that the defendant had a bomb . ' Caroline Carberry , defending , said Seager he had been suffering from diagnosed but untreated depression and psychosis at the time of the incident , and has Tourette 's Syndrome . 'These are serious offences and I accept the custody threshold has been passed , and normally these types of offences would merit an immediate sentence of imprisonment . ' She continued : 'He 's far from someone who fits the profile of a robber of a small business , it 's a great irony that Rory Seager went into a bookmaker somewhere he frequented , somewhere he was known - he knew the man behind the counter . ' She added that Seager 's own mother also works at a bookies , and the fact that he chose to rob a similar premises to his mother 's indicated he 'had n't given it much thought ' . In a letter to the judge , Seager wrote : ' I just want the judge to know I need help and I will be an outstanding member of my community . ' Ms Carberry added : 'This was entirely out of character , this was an aberration in this young man 's life . ' Seager was attempting to rob the William Hill in Ilford ( pictured ) , which he had frequented as a customer . Sentencing Seager to a two-year suspended sentence , two year 's supervision by the probation service and ordering him to undergo mental health treatment , Judge King said : 'There can be absolutely no doubt that what you did was to commit a very serious offence . ' The court heard Seager threw the tin of pilchards across the shop in frustration when his plan to pretend it was a bomb failed . He added : 'One can only imagine how petrified he must have been . 'You secreted this item in a black bag , no doubt to give it a more convincing air to what you were doing . ' He continued : 'You are young man suffering from a number of psychological conditions that had gone untreated , but you had got to the age of 18 without having descended into criminal activity . 'The disorders from which you suffered were long standing disorders and one can only commend members of your family for being able to cope for so long . 'It is in that context I have to decide how I want to deal with you , I 'm satisfied that the custody threshold has been passed - what I am about to do is exceptional and does not reduce the gravity of your offence you committed . ' I am persuaded that I can suspend the sentence . ' Judge King also barred him from an betting shop for the next 12 months and ordered him to pay a £100 surcharge . Seager , of Ilford , wiped away tears as his sentence was read out and thanked the judge before leaving the dock . One of Seager 's family members shouted 'You are a just and a fair man your honour ' as the judge left the bench .
Rory Seager attempted to rob a bookmakers ' as he owed a friend money . The 18-year-old had spent today gambling pennies in a bid to win it back . But when he came up empty handed , he decided to rob the bookmakers . He burst into the store claiming his tin of pilchards was a dangerous bomb . The astonished cashier simply walked into a secure room out the back . Seager was the day spared jail when he appeared at Snaresbrook court .