Two post office workers fought off armed robber Michael Gibson TWO post office workers have described how an armed robber fled their shop with nothing more than “bruises” after he threatened them with a hammer. Thief Michael Gibson was jailed for 32 months on Wednesday after admitting to the raid at the Post Office in Lemington, Newcastle. Newcastle Crown Court heard how the 39-year-old targeted the premises last October when he burst into the store armed with a hammer. He threatened staff members Avril Smith and Shelley Hogg and demanded they hand over cash from the till. But the women bravely refused to hand over any money and wrestled the till away from Gibson before he fled empty handed.