Lankan tackles Samurai attacker in UK
Rameshkumar Rasiah who arrived in Britian from Sri Lanka used a broom
to fight off a Samurai sword wielding robber and locked him in a store
cupboard to until the police arrived.
Andrew Speed, 18, a drug addict, had not expected such spirited
resistance at the Londis store in Southmead, Bristol.
Jailing Speed for three-and-a-half years at Bristol Crown Court,
Judge David Ticehurst said the self-defence of the staff was 'entirely
reasonable' given the terrifying circumstances.
Speed even begged officers to arrest him quickly to spare him from
the family's retaliation, the Court heard. He had burst in and leapt on
to the counter before lunging at Rameshkumar Rasiah, the shop assistant,
thrusting the 18-inch blade at him.
The teenager threatened: "I am going to stab you; I am going to kill
you."
But Rasiah, grabbed him and the sword and called for reinforcements.
Rasiah's sister, Suragini Jeyanthan, 28, and her husband, Nagaratnam
Jeyanthan, 29, who were upstairs, ran to his aid armed with a broom and
a metal pipe.
The three shop staff grappled with the robber for two minutes and
eventually bundled him into the store cupboard, and locked him inside.
When he was eventually escorted from the shop by police he urged them to
protect him, pleading: "Please, keep them away from me, I will not play
up, get me out of here." Speed, of Southmead, Bristol, was sentenced to
three-and-a-half years' youth detention at Bristol Crown Court on
Tuesday. The Court heard he went to the shop to try to get money for
drugs. Rasiah, who suffered cuts and bruises to his palm and elbow, said
the robber had "picked on the wrong shopkeeper".
"I was absolutely terrified but adrenaline took over and I knew I had
to stop him from stealing anything," he said. "I was not backing down
because I knew I had to protect the shop for my boss."
The raid happened at a Londis convenience store run by Jeyanthan in
Southmead, at 5.30am on June 9, shortly after Rasiah had opened up. The
shop's CCTV system caught the teenager, whose face was hidden by a
scarf, as he walked in and threatened Rasiah with the blade. Jeyanthan,
who has a five-month old daughter, said outside Court, "We don't feel
like heroes; we were protecting ourselves and our shop." He added: "This
was the first knife we've seen in four years here and I was shocked. "I
felt like closing the shop for good but now I think we will be staying
because I feel we have the support of the community." Speed admitted
assault with intent to rob and possession of an offensive weapon.
Telegraph
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