Hero who fought off armed raider
‘IT WAS LIKE AN ACTION MOVIE’
A BRAVE shop manager has revealed how he defended “the work of my life” by fighting off a knife-wielding robber.
Despite fearing for his life, Freydun Sakhi snapped the blade off with his bare hands as he battled with the thug in his OK Food Store, in Radford Road.
Drug addict Grant Hakim was jailed for more than five years last week.
“I didn’t know if he would kill me but I’m happy that I defended myself,” said Mr Sakhi, 55, who was in the shop when Hakim entered at about 5.30pm on August 1.
Wearing a hoodie and mask, he demanded money.
Mr Sakhi said: “I thought it was a joke initially. But then, he showed me his knife so that is when I knew it was serious.”
The shop manager picked up a screwdriver near the till in case he needed to defend himself.
“I was very scared,” he said. “But I said that I would never let anyone take my money and business like that – I work and think about the business 24 hours a day. “It is the work of my life.”
As the intruder jabbed the kitchen knife towards Mr Sakhi’s chest, the shopkeeper grabbed him, with Hakim stabbing the shop manager, who suffered a cut hand in the struggle, in which he managed to disarm Hakim by banging his hand against something. Driven by adrenaline, he grabbed the knife and snapped the blade from the handle.
“I broke the knife with my bare hands,” said Mr Sakhi.
“It was like an action movie.” But Hakim carried on his crazed assault, grabbing bottles of booze from the shelves and hitting Mr Sakhi over the head with them. The bottles broke with the force used.
“I still have the marks – he hit me with three bottles,” said Mr Sakhi.
“I dropped on the floor when he hit me the third time – I was very dizzy. It is like a big blur.”
A friend of the owner who was in the back of the shop ran to the front door and blocked the entrance. In a matter of minutes police arrived and arrested the intruder.
Mr Sakhi, who is still traumatised by the incident, said: “It was a neighbour who reported it, and police arrived in a few minutes. But to me it felt like hours because I was injured and dizzy.”
Despite his pride in the fact he “took a criminal off the streets”, Mr Sakh admits: “I am still scared.
“Even when children come into the store I get scared. I can feel my heart racing all the time.
“I have been in this shop for eight years, and I previously had other shops and this is the first time it happens.”
When 31-year-old Hakim, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court last week, it was revealed he has 41 convictions for 89 offences on his record.
After he was arrested and interviewed, he said: “I was an idiot, and bang to rights.” He admitted all the charges. For attempted robbery, his sentence was five years and four months in custody, with an extended licence on release of four years. He received 18 months concurrently for wounding and eight months concurrently for having a bladed article.
Mr Sakhi, who was back at his business on Radford Road the day after Hakim’s sentencing, added: “I helped the whole community of Radford.
“This man is dangerous – he is a criminal with previous convictions. And I took him off the streets.”
Other members of the community have also praised his courage.
Baboo Ohne, 36, who works at a takeaway next door, added: “He was very brave.
“We all heard about it – it is very impressive.”
“We have a great community here, and we help each other.
“Even when there are incidents in the area, the community is very responsive and usually the police are.”