Would-be knife robber stopped by shopkeeper jailed

Date published: 26 January 2010

A would-be knife robber who was stopped in his tracks by a shopkeeper's husband has been jailed.

Graham Morris (born 19/05/1977) of Douglas Place, Blackburn, was sentenced to four years and four months imprisonment at Bolton Crown Court today, Monday 25 January 2010.

He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possessing a bladed article in a public place at an earlier hearing.

At 6.15pm on Thursday 10 September 2009, Morris went into a wine shop on Parsonage Road, Bury, and walked right up to the 26-year-old shop owner and held a 12in kitchen knife centimetres from her throat.

He demanded that she open the till and hand over money. The shop owner refused and shouted for her husband.

The victim's husband came out from the back of the shop, grabbed Morris from behind and wrestled the knife away from his wife's throat.

A customer came in, saw what was happening and locked the shop door.

Morris stopped struggling when he realised he was trapped and handed over a second 6in knife to the shop owners.

He immediately admitted what he had done when officers arrived at the scene and arrested him.

Morris could give no other reason for trying to commit the robbery other than the fact he had consumed a large amount of alcohol.

Detective Inspector Lynne Vernon, from Bury CID, said: "The shop owner was incredibly brave - he gave no thought to his own safety before tackling Morris to protect his wife.

"Those few minutes must have been the longest of his life and, while we wouldn't recommend that anyone faced with a similar situation do the same, his quick thinking has to be admired.

"Morris is where he belongs today for drunkenly pointing a knife at and threatening an honest hard-working woman."