A number of criminals got more than they bargained for when they targeted shops and their brave owners.
On Tuesday, Liverpool Crown Court heard that Wayne Daniels returned to a shop on London Road armed with a knife after a row about change. However, he was fought off by the proprietor brandishing wooden poles.
Daniels is just one of many criminals who have been foiled by brave shopkeepers. In recent years, Liverpool's courts have heard about a Spar manager who wrestled a robber, a jewellery shop worker who fought back against a thief and a store worker who grabbed a knife from an attempted robber.
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Here, we have rounded up some of the tales of criminals being thwarted by the workers at the shops they targeted.
Brave shop workers fight off knifeman after row over change
Brave shop workers fought off a knife-wielding customer with wooden poles after a row over change escalated.
A masked Wayne Daniels returned to the shop armed with the weapon, having been turfed out following an earlier argument. Liverpool Crown Court heard on Tuesday, that the 42-year-old and a friend were in the premises on London Road in Liverpool city centre in May this year.
The latter then left, but an "extremely drunk" Daniels began rowing with employees about change that his pal was owed. Members of staff told him that they would give him the money once he returned, but Daniels - of Bardsay Road in Walton - became "more and more agitated".
Arthur Gibson, prosecuting, said that he pulled two cardboard displays of snacks to the floor while making threats to return and damage the premises. The rowdy shopper was then ushered out by workers with the assistance of a member of the public.
At around 5.30pm, Daniels re-entered in a change of clothing and with his face covered. He began tampering with the displays again, leading to the shopkeeper remonstrating with him.
But he then realised that the drunk man was carrying a knife, "holding it in a manner as if to stab". The proprietor and an employee picked up wooden poles and used them to try to push Daniels out of the store as he continued "gesticulating" with the blade while making threats.
An eyewitness who heard another member of the public shout "he's got a knife in there" called the police. While the knifeman had "made good his escape" by the time officers arrived, his face covering was found abandoned at the scene with his DNA on it - leading to his arrest on September 1.
Daniels - who appeared via video link to HMP Altcourse - admitted making threats with a bladed article, threatening to destroy property and breaching a suspended sentence and was jailed for two years. A victim surcharge must also be paid.
Robber tells brave Spar manager 'you've ripped my shirt' as she wrestles him
A robber told a brave shop manager "you've ripped my shirt" after she caught him stealing from her store.
In August 2022, James Karl Dean, from Birkenhead, tried to steal bags of cash, including staff wages, from the Spar in Sandylands Road, Kendal. He was caught red-handed by store manager Sharon Walker-Clement after she returned from helping a member of the public outside the shop.
Miss Walker-Clement found Dean holding three bags of cash in an upstairs office and asked him what he was doing, to which he replied: "I’ve got a knife in my pocket and I will hurt you." Prosecutor Tim Evans told Carlisle Crown Court how Miss Walker-Clement bravely confronted Dean, pushing him backwards before there was a prolonged struggle as she tried to wrestle back each of the bags of cash, causing them, and the fabric of Dean's top, to split. He responded by telling her: “You’ve ripped my shirt you c**t.”
Mr Evans said there was “to-ing and fro-ing”, with Dean pushing Miss Walker-Clement against a wall, causing her to bang her head, and at one stage she thought she might fall down the stairs after being shoved. Mr Evans said: "The defendant, at that stage, really, decided enough was enough at least with the formidable resistance he was meeting, and he fled."
The court heard how Miss Walker-Clement went on to chase Dean out of the office before calling the police. Mr Evans said: “She chased him out of the office, following him.
"She called the police on her mobile, chased him through the shop and she talks about this, really emphasising the considerable courage which she showed: she was running as fast as she could due to a hip replacement. She couldn’t run very far."
As Dean ran down the road — having stolen £1,075.34, including staff wages — he said: “I’m coming back for you, you grass.” But Dean was collared and admitted robbery on the basis he hadn’t had a knife at the time. The court heard he had 126 offences on his criminal record and was on bail at the time of the robber
He was jailed for four years while Miss Walker-Clement was put forward for Cumbria High Sheriff’s award.
Masked knife thug and girlfriend raid newsagents and slash shopkeeper
A masked armed robber and his girlfriend raided a newsagent and slashed a shopkeeper with a knife in a botched robbery. Stuart Barnes, 44, targeted two shops within minutes of each other, but both brave shopkeepers managed to fight off the thug before alerting police.
Barnes and his then partner Emma Lewis, 36, both appeared before a judge at Liverpool Crown Court in October 2020 over the attempted robberies. David Polglase, prosecuting, told the court that at around 8.50pm on March 30 2020 victim Sivakara Thargarasa, the owner of PRM News and Wine on Queens Drive, was working alone.
Mr Thargarasa left the till area to check on stock when a "white female in a dark jacket" came into the shop and asked him where the noodles were. Masked Barnes then came into the shop and threatened Mr Thargarasa with a knife demanding "give me the money".
Mr Polglase said the victim told Barnes there was no money, only for the thug to "try to stab, aiming for his side and his stomach". The attack left Mr Thargarase with a slash wound to his left hand.
Mr Polglase told the court that only minutes later Lewis entered Blue Nile on Holt Road, Kensington, where Muhammed Malik was working. The court heard that soon after Barnes also came into the store wielding a knife.
Mr Polglase said: "Mr Malik took hold of the knife to stop Barnes from using it." A struggle ensued following which Mr Malik was punched three times before the couple left empty-handed for a second time.
The pair pleaded guilty to the offences of attempted robbery and Barnes also admitted an additional charge of possession of the kitchen knife. Barnes was jailed for five years and four months, while Lewis was handed a two-year custodial sentence suspended for two years.
Robber with drill disguised as gun foiled by brave shopworker
A serial armed robber raided a Spar store with a cordless drill disguised as a gun.
Gerard Laverty held the makeshift weapon to a shop assistant's face and demanded: "Empty the till or I will blow your head off." But brave Gbolahan Balogun wrestled it off him and when drunken Laverty tried to flee, a heroic customer dragged him to the floor.
Laverty, of Clifton Road East, Anfield, was then arrested at the store, which is attached to the BP garage in Sefton Street, Toxteth. Just two weeks earlier, the 41-year-old had been handed a suspended sentence for theft and possession of a blade.
And police had not yet caught up with him over a bungled burglary at Delifonseca, the gourmet deli at Brunswick Quay.
In May 2020, he was jailed for six years.
Thug who tried to rob jewellers caught after brave owner fights back
A thug who tried to rob a jeweller’s shop was caught after the owner bravely fought back and forced him to drop a vital clue.
John Inglesby and a metal bar-wielding accomplice got more than they bargained for when they raided Meadows Jewellers in Old Swan. Kevin O’Reilly hurled items at the masked pair, before grabbing one of Inglesby’s legs as he tried to crawl out through a smashed door.
Inglesby, who was wearing yellow marigolds, repeatedly punched Mr O’Reilly, in the process dropping a piece of the glove bearing his DNA. The career criminal laughed when CCTV footage of the terrifying raid was played at Liverpool Crown Court in July 2017.
But the bungling crook’s face fell when he was jailed for more than five years, after admitting to the robbery.
Claire Jones, prosecuting, said Mr O’Reilly, who was on his own, heard a “loud bang” as Inglesby booted the front door open. He was sitting behind a glass cabinet, which Inglesby kicked, before the second man smashed it with the bar.
The clip showed the owner jump up and hurl items at the cowardly thieves, who tried to flee. However, the security door had locked behind them, meaning they had to shatter a glass panel to escape.
Ms Jones said Inglesby was halfway through the opening when Mr O’Reilly seized him. She said: “The defendant turns and punches out at the complainant, catching him three or four times to the head area. He is calling him a b*****d.
“During the struggle, the defendant’s marigold glove or part of it, the tip, comes off.”
The pair escaped in a black Ford Focus driven by a third man, which was parked nearby.
Shopkeeper suffers 'horrific' injury after instantly recognising thief
A shopkeeper suffered a "horrific" 17cm wound after being attacked by a thief.
Darren MacPhee, from Birkenhead, left the employee with a "grave laceration" to his back after the worker attempted to stop him from shoplifting. But the "danger to the public" then called the police claiming that he was the one who had been attacked.
Liverpool Crown Court heard in July 2022 that the 29-year-old entered the store at around 9.15pm on July 20 2020 and was instantly recognised by the victim after an attempted theft nine days earlier. MacPhee picked up several four packs of beer inside, but the staff member armed himself with a broken plastic mop handle and stood between him and the exit.
The defendant, of Prince Edward Street, attempted to leave without paying and kicked out at the victim before a scuffle ensued. The fighting, which was captured on CCTV, lasted more than 10 minutes both in and outside the premises.
During a "fairly prolonged" incident, MacPhee threw the man to the floor and punched and pushed him. He is thought to have suffered the nasty cut when he was shoved into a shelving unit.
Both parties called the police, with a small quantity of cannabis being found on the serial offender upon his arrest. MacPhee told officers that he had been attacked by the member of staff, but the latter was found to have "used reasonable force."
MacPhee has 38 previous convictions for 64 offences, including for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and was jailed for 15 months for burglary in February last year. He admitted wounding and possession of cannabis during an earlier hearing, with a further count of theft ordered to life on the file.
He was jailed for two years.
Judge Stuart Driver said: "There are aggravating features which must move the sentence upwards. There is a lasting mental impact upon the victim, as well as physical injuries.
"This is a person who was providing a service to the public. Shopkeepers are entitled to the protection of the courts.
"Finally, you have a terrible criminal record which makes things much worse. On the other hand, there is a list of mitigating features.
"You have mental health difficulties, you have taken steps to address your drug addiction and there was a substantial delay before you were brought to court. During that time, you continued to commit offences of violence and dishonesty and you were sent to prison for 15 months.
"The sentence cannot be suspended. You are a danger to the public.
"There is a history of poor compliance with court orders and appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody."
MacPhee was also told to pay a victim surcharge.
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