SHOPKEEPER THREW ROBBER OUT OF STORE

Hero foiled knife-wielding attacker, who is jailed for four years

A BRAVE shop owner foiled a robbery at his store after a customer threatened him at knifepoint.

Stoke-on-trent Crown Court heard that Anthony Walley, below, had gone to the counter to pay for a 49p drink.

But the 42-year-old then turned on the shopkeeper.

Prosecutor Gerald Bermingham said: “He lunged towards the victim through the till area.

“He grabbed hold of him with his left hand and threatened him, pulling the knife up to his face, and demanded he open the till.

“Instead, the man struggled with the defendant and pushed him through the door of the shop into the street. He then dialled 999 and described to the operator the clothing worn by the defendant.”

Around 10 minutes later, Walley was spotted by a police officer in the Abbey Hulton area.

“He was searched and he was found to be in possession of a knife,” added Mr Bermingham.

“He had something in his mouth at the time, which was found to contain a small amount of cannabis.”

Walley pleaded guilty to the attempted robbery on February 19, having an article with a blade or point, and possession of cannabis. Now Walley, of no fixed address, has been sentenced to four years in prison.

In a victim personal statement read out in court, the shop owner said: “In 50 years running my newsagent’s, I never experienced what happened (before). I now realise I could have been seriously injured or killed.

“I will be worrying about who walks through the front door from now on, and always thinking it could be trouble.”

In recognition of his brave actions, he has been put forward for a High Sheriff ’s award.

Kelly Cyples, mitigating, said the attempted robbery by Walley had lasted just seconds.

“He was in a very bad place at the time of this offence,” she added.

“He was non compos mentis at the time and does not recall anything with a great deal of clarity.

“But the recollection he does have is, as soon as the owner challenged him, it brought him to his senses and he was pushed out of the shop without a great deal of resistance.”

Judge David Fletcher told Walley he committed a ‘horrible offence’ with a ‘pretty nasty looking knife’.

He added: “The shop owner is clearly a man with a degree of stoicism, who responded in a fairly robust way to you.”