Judge heaps praise on hero shopkeeper
A SHOPKEEPER who refused to hand over any money when a masked man pointed a ‘realistic-looking’ gun at him has been praised by a judge for his ‘remarkable stoicism.’
Aminesh Patel refused to give any money to Stephen Veldhoven, 44, who burst into Bob’s Newsagents in Cadishead, Salford, on February 6, wearing a balaclava and holding a ‘black plastic handgun.’
“Come on, give me your money,” Veldhoven told Mr Patel, Manchester Crown Court heard.
But, Mr Patel, who said he was scared for his wife and four-year-old son as they were 200 metres away, didn’t know what to do and hesitated. Veldhoven replied by saying: “Don’t waste time”.
Mr Patel pushed the till towards Veldhoven, who said: “I don’t want the till, I just want the money”.
Judge Patrick Field QC paid tribute to the ‘remarkable stoicism’ of Mr Patel and his wife, who was in the back of the shop and called police.
Mr Patel shouted to his wife who was in the back of the shop, saying: “It’s an armed robbery”.
She told him she had called 999 and the police were on their way following the incident. Veldhoven, who lived about 200 metres from the shop, was ‘disturbed’ by this and walked out empty-handed.
The couple were able to identify Veldhoven through social media using Facebook, even though his face had been obscured. The shopkeeper said he remembered Veldhoven’s eyes, and recalled him being a previous customer, prosecutor Simone Flynn said.
A witness who was also in the shop was able to pick out Veldhoven during an identity parade, Manchester Crown Court heard. Police arrested Veldhoven and searched his house where they found a black plastic handgun, thought to be the weapon used and described as being ‘almost a toy.’ In statements read to the court, Mr Patel said he was ‘shocked’ by what had happened, while his wife said she was ‘angry.’
In mitigation, Mark Friend, defending, said Veldhoven had been into the shop many times before, and the defendant believed he had a ‘positive’ relationship with the shopkeepers.
He said Veldhoven, who has no previous convictions, went into the shop as he wanted money to pay off a debt.
Mr Friend said Veldhoven has led a ‘simple life’ up to now, living with and caring for his mother.
He said the defendant is at the ‘lower end of the academic scale,’ and that he poses ‘no ostensible risk to the public.’
Veldhoven, of Kitchener Avenue, Cadishead, pleaded guilty to offences of attempted robbery and possession of an imitation firearm. The barrister appealed for him to be spared jail, but Judge Field deemed the offences were too serious and locked him up for 27 months.
Addressing Veldhoven, Judge Field said: “What you did, wearing a mask in an unsuccessful attempt to hide your identity, was you burst into a corner shop that you had used many times, and waved a realistic-looking gun in the shopkeeper’s face.
“A shopkeeper who showed an extraordinary level of firmness and stoicism, as is clear from his most understated victim personal statement.” Judge Patrick Field QC