Accused of trying to kill a man in shop raid

A MAN has been charged with robbery and the attempted murder of a shopkeeper.

A second man has also been charged with robbery following an incident at a Flintshire shop on Thursday.

The robbery saw a shopkeeper suffer serious knife injuries to his throat during a struggle at the store.

Matthew Liam Whelan, 29, of Willow Park, Gladstone Way, Mancot, is charged with joint robbery of shokeeper Imtiaz Ul Haq, 58, at Costcutters in Chester Road East, Queensferry, and attempting to murder him.

Co-defendant Leslie Peter Baines, 47, of King’s Road, Connah’s Quay, faces the charge of robbing him of a till drawer, to a value unknown.

At a special weekend sitting of Flintshire Magistrates’ Court at Mold yesterday both were remanded in custody.

They will next appear for a plea hearing at Mold Crown Court on January 6 next year.

Prosecutor David Mainstone gave details of the alleged offences.

Officers were called to the Costcutters store at about 6.30pm when a complainant suffered significant injuries alleged to have been inflicted by a masked man using a 12-inch kitchen knife.

He was taken to hospital where he was in a “stable” condition and is now recovering after surgery.

Defending solicitor Gary Harvey applied for bail for both men but the applications were rejected.

Mr Harvey suggested that Whelan could live at Bryn Onnen in Flint with an electronic tag.

He suggested that he could be banned from Queensferry.

Baines, he said, could live at his parents’ address.

Both could report to the police daily.

Magistrates said it was a serious matter and remanded both in custody pending a crown court hearing.

Police at the time said: “This was a serious and violent attack on a lone shopkeeper, resulting in him receiving serious injuries.

“Our thoughts are with him and his family.

“Specially trained officers have been appointed to support them.”

Additional police patrols are taking place on Deeside to reassure the local community.