Rude shock for armed robber

A PASSER-BY punched a knife-wielding robber after a frightening holdup on one of Geelong’s busiest shopping strips, a court has heard.

Christopher Parcell, 18, had stormed out of the Browse Fashions for Men store on Pakington St, Geelong West, when a bystander confronted him on the footpath.

The County Court heard Peter Derbyshire was on the street when he responded to an employee’s cries for help by punching Parcell to the chest, causing the robber to drop his knife and run away.

Parcell had moments earlier put the knife to the neck of the shop’s owner.

The now 19-year-old pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of armed robbery.

The court was told two workers saw him acting suspiciously inside the menswear store before he produced the weapon about 10.15am on January 10.

He initially started walking out of the store with a handful of items before the owner tried to stop him.

As the woman moved into Parcell’s path to block his exit, the teenager pulled out a knife and put it about 5cm from her neck, telling her: “I have a knife and I’ll use it.”

The owner stepped back before Parcell swung the knife at her twice and warned: “I’m bloody taking them, bitch, or you’ll die.”

As the robber fled on to

Pakington St, he ran into Mr Derbyshire, who swung a punch at Parcell.

The teenager dropped the knife, along with some of the clothes he had stolen, before running from the scene.

He has been in custody since his arrest in Whittington two weeks after the incident.

The court heard Parcell told police he was “ordered” to commit the robbery by several unnamed men who had apparently driven him to the scene.

He claimed the men threatened to bash him if he did not follow their demands.

Parcell admitted using ice before the incident and said his memory of the robbery was vague.

Judge Gerard Mullaly will sentence Parcell on August 4.