A
robber armed with a hammer, who struck a shopkeeper over the head
while demanding cash, has been caged for three years.
Omari
Blackburn, 30, of Stratford Road, Thornton Heath was sentenced at
Croydon Crown Court.
He
pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, assault causing actual bodily
harm and having an offensive weapon.
The
court heard on Sunday, July 29 at approximately 7.15pm Blackburn
entered an off-licence on London Road, Thornton Heath armed with a
hammer that was hidden under his jumper.
He
walked behind the counter holding the hammer above his head and
threatened the shop worker, a 50-year-old man, demanding he remove
money from the till.
The
shop worker refused and a scuffle took place with Blackburn hitting
the victim over the head.
A
customer who had been at the back of the store when Blackburn walked
in came to the victim’s aid and helped him to remove Blackburn from
the shop.
Once
outside, other members of the public kept Blackburn there until
police arrived a few minutes later.
The
victim suffered bumps and bruising to his head along with a
laceration that required four stitches.
Detective
Constable Kathlyn Stanley-Quist, from Croydon CID said: “It’s
just sheer luck that the victim was not seriously injured.
“I
would like to take this opportunity to praise both him and the
members of the public who did not look the other way but instead came
to the victim’s aid and apprehended Blackburn to stop him from
escaping.
“The
victim only took three days off work following this incident as there
was nobody else available to work in the store to cover for his
absence.
“I
am pleased the court has seen fit to give Blackburn a custodial
sentence for what was a violent attack.”
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