Pat Dollard

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CCTV,Plymouth,England.

A SHOPKEEPER’S wife and a customer bravely fought off masked robbers armed with a carving knife as they menaced her husband.

Julie Coffey and a male customer grabbed brooms and attacked burly thug Sean Dickinson after he threatened to stab Whitleigh shopkeeper Howard Coffey.

When Dickinson and his accomplice John Hyland fled empty-handed from Budshead General Store More..s, Mrs Coffey followed and noted the registration number of the getaway car.

Dickinson and Hyland – both from Liverpool – were caught by police less than an hour later.

Yesterday Dickinson was jailed for five years and Hyland for four years for their parts in the terrifying raid.

David Gittins, prosecuting, told Plymouth Crown Court that the Coffeys were preparing to close the shop around 9.50pm on Saturday, April 5, last year, when two men burst in wearing balaclavas and latex gloves.

Dickinson, brandishing a large carving life, ran up to Mr Coffey, pushed him and threatened him with the knife, repeatedly shouting: “Give me your money!”

Mr Coffey tried to conceal the takings, which were near the till, while Mrs Coffey and the customer tried to push Dickinson away with brooms as he shouted: “Tell him to give me the money or I’ll stab him!”

Meanwhile, Hyland was wrecking displays and throwing goods around the shop.

After a minute or two the robbers ran off, but were caught shortly afterwards at Woodland Fort.

Distinctive Lacoste and Adidas tops worn in the raid were spotted dumped nearby and matched to the men, whose fingerprints were found in the getaway car.

Both men pleaded guilty to attempted robbery.

Mr Gittins said Hyland, aged 36 and from Toxteth in Liverpool, had previous convictions for violence, dishonesty and drug offences, but had last been jailed in 1989.

Dickinson, 21 and also from Liverpool, but staying with friends in Plymouth at the time, had two previous convictions for assault causing actual bodily harm and recently served three years in prison for possessing a pistol.

Edward Bailey, for Hyland, said his client’s decision to help Dickinson get money to pay his drug debts was ‘stupid and immoral’, but he now appreciated how frightened the Coffeys must have been.

Ali Rafati, for Dickinson, said that last February he had been ‘bottled’ and left with head scars for non-payment of debts totalling £3,000 for crack cocaine.

He was relieved to be off the streets and away from the people who were after him.

Judge Francis Gilbert QC told the pair: “Your attack left Mr Coffey terrified and he feared for his life, which is entirely understandable.”

He said the offence had been aggravated by having being committed by more than one man, after dark, following planning and with the use of disguises and a very threatening weapon.

He sentenced Dickinson to five years in prison less 144 days spent on remand and Hyland to four years less 78 days on remand.

Later Mr Coffey, 54, said: “It was very distressing at the time, and my wife still suffers; if anyone rushes in, it makes her jump.

“It was traumatic having a knife held to my throat.

“Julie and the customer were both brave to use brooms to defend me.”