This is the terrifying moment a brave shopkeeper tries to fend off a robber armed with a screwdriver.
CCTV footage shows serial robber Roy Davis, 58, of Weetman Gardens, Nottingham, bursting into The Booze Shop in lIkeston Road wearing a tea towel over his face, a hooded coat and sandals.
Bottles are seen tumbling off the shelves as Davis struggles with the shopkeeper during the attempted raid, which happened at around 8.30pm on December 17 last year.
Bottles are seen tumbling off the shelves as Davis struggles with the shopkeeper during the attempted raid, which happened at around 8.30pm on December 17 last year
But the brave shopkeeper, who was stabbed above his eye and suffered a black eye, fights back, chasing Davis out of the store.
As he flees, Davis leaves one of his sandals behind.
Police were able to trace the robber from DNA on the unseasonal footwear.
He was then arrested and charged with attempted robbery and possessing the screwdriver.
CCTV shows the shopkeeper, who was stabbed above his eye and suffered a black eye, holding a hand over his face as Davis attacks him
He pleaded guilty on the day of his trial and was sentenced to eight years in jail at Nottingham Crown Court.
Sentencing him for the offences on Tuesday, Judge John Burgess awarded the courageous shopkeeper £600 out of public funds.
He said: ‘He tried to fight off the attacker and chased him out of the shop’.
The offence was ‘planned to a degree’, he said. Davis had a getaway car, a black Vauxhall Mokka, and he waited until the shop only had one person in it.
He tried to disguise his face with the tea towel, which slipped off.
Judge Burgess told him: ‘What happened thereafter must have been terrifying for that man in that shop, because you were armed with a screwdriver and you attacked him.
‘He suffered an injury as a result – there is a clear puncture wound above his eye. You deny stabbing him with it. He tried to fight back. This a persistent attack. After you left you came back again in order to try to recover your footwear and there was a further assault.’
Davis, who was listening through a hearing loop in the dock and wearing a pink T-shirt and trousers, was told about the impact of his dreadful crime on his victim.
The brave shopkeeper jumps over the counter and chases the robber out of the store
The judge said the incident had caused the victim to be ‘very frightened in a public place on his own’ and ‘regular nightmares mean he is not able to sleep properly’.
‘Most of the time he relies on friends to look after him,’ said the judge.
‘He says he is scared to be in public areas or at work for fear this will happen again. He has lost a lot of weight and confidence because of this incident.’
The judge gave Davis eight years in prison for the attempted robbery and nine months concurrent for having the weapon.
Noel Philo, prosecuting, said the victim had been helping out in the store.
Anthony Morris, mitigating, said: ‘For a long time, until recently, the defendant made efforts to turn himself around. He was lauded as a charity worker and a partner, and someone who took good care of his grandchildren and family.
The shopkeeper uses a bottle to fend off the robber, who eventually flees
‘He had returned to taking drugs. It may be, through desperation to pay for those, that the offence occurred.’
Speaking after the hearing, Detective Constable Steve Fenyn, investigating, said: ‘In this case an individual, representing a business, was personally attacked. No one, no matter their line of work, deserves to be assaulted while earning a living.
‘My advice would always be never to engage in an altercation such as this. I commend the bravery of the shop staff in this case. They did intervene and in doing so have assisted in taking a violent man off the street.
‘I think this case sends a firm message. This case involved witness reports, CCTV and DNA evidence coming together. Shop security, policing tactics and community spirit is stronger than ever and if you are intent on committing these types of offences, prepare to get caught.’