Addict gets 12 years for stabbing chemist during drugs robbery bid

A MAN who stabbed a chemist during an attempted robbery to get drugs to feed his addiction was yesterday handed a 12-year prison sentence.

At Belfast Crown Court Patrick Campbell (28), of no fixed abode, was told he would serve six years in custody followed by six years on supervised licence on his release.

Judge Geoffrey Miller QC told Campbell that as part of his licence conditions he would have to live at approved Probation Service accommodation.

The judge said that during the licence period the defendant would also have to be “electronically tagged for such period as is deemed both proportionate and necessary to monitor his behaviour”.

Campbell pleaded guilty to robbery, two counts of attempted robbery, possession of a knife, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and assault on police.

Prosecution lawyer David Russell told the court Campbell entered a retail unit at the Spires Mall in Belfast city centre on

Police at the scene last year where two members of staff were attacked at McDonagh’s Pharmacy on the Falls Road

April 5, 2017, and placed a knife on the counter. He told a shop worker: “I need you to open the till, don’t do anything stupid.”

She told him it was empty and he told her not to take any pictures of him with her phone, and after checking the till he said: “Thanks.”

The court heard that in the early hours of April 6, 2017, a woman was walking along Beechmount Avenue in west Belfast after collecting medicine

for her sick child. “She was approached by a male who asked for directions. He then produced a three to four-inch long knife, put it 30cm from her stomach and told her: “Give me everything you have.” The woman gave him her mobile phone and Campbell told her: “Right, now f *** off.”

Mr Russell said that around 9.30am on the same date Campbell entered McDonagh’s Pharmacy on the Falls Road in west

Belfast armed with a knife. “There were three members of staff in the pharmacy, namely Peter Wright, Paul McDonagh and Sheila Rooney,” said the prosecution lawyer.

“Mr Wright noted the accused had a mask coming up to his nose area and a knife in his right hand. He came to the counter and said a couple of times: ‘I want all your Tramadol’.

“Mr Wright did not reply and the accused lunged, stabbing him in the upper left side of his chest close to his heart.

“Mr Wright went to obtain a towel to stem the flow of blood and when he returned he saw the accused struggling with Mr McDonagh, who had also been injured.”

The struggle continued until Mr Wright had restrained Campbell and police arrived at the scene. Campbell was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital for treatment, where “he was abusive to police and racially abusive to staff ”.

Defence QC Richard Green told the court that Campbell had been abusing drugs since the age of 14 and had a history of mental health illness and later started abusing alcohol.

Passing sentence, Judge Miller accepted an assessment by the risk management team of the Probation Service who concluded that Campbell did not pose a danger to the public in the future.

As well as receiving 12 years for attempted robbery of the pharmacy, Campbell was handed concurrent sentences totalling 32 years and eight months for robbery, attempted robbery, wounding, possessing a knife and assault on police.