Sponsored by
Armed robbers jailed for raid on Kettering Budgens
Violent armed robbers who threatened terrified shop staff with a samurai sword and imitation firearm have been jailed for seven years.
John-Paul Owen, 36, of Wellingborough, and getaway driver Darren Start, 30, of Kettering, were each jailed for seven years, following the attempted robbery at the Budgens store in Kettering.
The frightening ordeal was captured on CCTV which showed the aggressive thieves terrorising a girl who cowered under the cash register.
But Judge Charles Wide, at Northampton Crown Court, commended the brave members of staff who fought off Owen for their "outstanding bravery".
He awarded the cashier 250 from public funds but said he would have awarded more if he could for his brave actions in thwarting the raid.
Owen admitted robbery, while Start was convicted of robbery, possession of an imitation firearm and an offensive weapon during the raid in September.
Last month the Evening Telegraph reported how the young heroes who tackled the raiders had received bravery awards.
Niraj Karavadra, 22, Daniel Leeder, 19, Emilie Bull, 18, and Shaun Sendai, 16, who fought off the armed robber, were given the award by the Weekley, Warkton, Kettering and District Association for the Prosecution of Felons.
The vicious thug hit Niraj, whose family owns the store on St Stephen's Road, three times with the gun butt, fracturing his ribs – but he still fought back.
After receiving the award, Niraj told the Evening Telegraph: "The only thing I could think about was not letting him get to the till. It's the family business, you have to look after it.
"The whole reason he came into the shop is that he thought he could get away with it."
Niraj pushed Owen out of the shop with the help of Daniel and Shaun while Emilie called the police, but the determined thug returned with a 2ft sword.
Owen took what he could while the four hid, but the delay meant he only took 150 worth of goods.
Shop assistant Daniel, whose mother's cousin's post office in Grendon has been robbed several times, said he believed more people should stand up to thugs.
Edward Lamb, secretary of the Association for the Prosecution of Felons, commended the young have-a-go heroes, saying: "They are a group of young people and collectively they showed composure and bravery in extreme circumstances.
"They were determined the individual in question should not succeed in his actions.
"It is an absolutely shining example of how the public should behave and consider the needs of others."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Kettering
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: North
