Hero praised by judge for tackling knifepoint robber
A JUDGE has praised a brave hero for tackling a knifepoint robber, who had violently knocked a man to the ground and was stealing his cash in Loughborough.
Kristopher Burton (31) spared no thought for his own safety when he saw drug addict, Carl Jason O’Connor, holding a knife to the neck of the victim.
When the robber fled with £20 taken from the defenceless man’s pocket, the courageous passer-by sprang into action.
O’Connor was no match for 16-stone Mr Burton who stopped his car, went after him and detained him until the police arrived.
Sentencing O’Connor to six years imprisonment, Judge Robert Brown publicly commended Mr Burton for bringing the robber to justice – and awarded him £500 from public funds.
The judge said: “I’m commending Mr Burton for his bravery and public spiritedness.
“He was driving his car past the scene of a knifepoint robbery in the centre of Loughborough.
“He didn’t know either the victim or the assailant but pulled his car over to the side of the road to help the victim.
“He chased the offender, caught up with him and challenged him.
“The offender lied about his identity (denying he was the robber) but Mr Burton proceeded to detain him, firmly but fairly, until the police arrived.
“This was an act of significant courage, since he knew the offender to be armed with a knife.
“He also suspected, correctly as it turned out, that he was under the influence of drugs.
“Mr Burton could have been injured in his act of courage – but he acted out of instinct and without thought for himself.
“Many other people might have driven by and not intervened.
“He chose to stop and help the victim and at no small risk to himself.”
James Bide-Thomas, prosecuting, told the jury: “On the evening of June 21 at 9.55pm a man was waiting for a friend who was using the lavatory at a nearby pub.
“He was in an area of Leicester Road, in Loughborough, that’s covered by CCTV.
“The defendant approached him, grabbed him, dragged him to the ground and robbed him of a £20 note taken out of his pocket.
“A witness, Kristopher Burton, was driving past and at first thought two people were play fighting but then heard someone shouting ‘Get off me.’ “He saw a knife being held by one of them. “The complainant didn’t see a knife but heard the threat that he was armed with a knife.”
Mr Bide-Thomas said Mr Burton went after him and detained him “with some force” until the police took over.
The police located a black and yellow handled craft knife in nearby bushes which had the defendant’s DNA on it.
O’Connor told the police it was not a robbery but claimed it was a drug deal that went wrong and accepted assaulting the victim.
He claimed he dragged him to the ground for “changing his mind” about buying some cocaine, after he had phoned a dealer to arrange a delivery.
He told the jury his “reputation was on the line” and he tussled with the complainant but did not take any money.
He claimed he simply retrieved “a piece of paper” with the drug dealer’s phone number on.
O’Connor admitted he lied to the police when he told an officer he had not possessed a knife.
He said it was because he was on licence at the time and did not think they would believe he had borrowed it - for a friend to lay some carpet - and was simply going to return it to the owner.
James Bide-Thomas accused O’Conner of telling a “pack of lies” about a drug deal.
The victim, who suffered grazes and a red mark to his neck, told the jury he did not see a knife.
He said was “shocked” by the defence barrister’s suggestions it was a drug deal that went wrong.
He also said: “I will never forget this; he robbed me with a knife.”
The victim said he had never seen the defendant before and was knocked to the ground without warning.
CCTV footage of the incident was played in court along with a recording of the defendant being detained by Mr Burton whilst being surrounded by a number of people, near a skating area.
Mr Bide-Thomas said: “People were venting their dissatisfaction upon him.”
O’Connor said he was “poleaxed” by Mr Burton and said force was used against him, including being stamped on by the complainant, which left him shaken up.