Grimsby shopkeeper tackles robber armed with gun

A Grimsby shopkeeper said he feared he could be killed when he tackled a robber armed with a gun.

Diraj Devananden chased the man out of the shop and knocked the firearm out of his hand, but was forced to let the robber go after he threatened him with a broken bottle.

It later emerged the weapon was an airgun painted black to look like a real pistol.

Liam Finnie, 33, was jailed for four years after admitting robbery.

Mr Devananden said the man had grabbed a crate of beer in the Cartergate shop and then pointed the gun at him as he stood behind the counter, threatening to shoot him.

"I didn't take my eyes off him and if there was any movement I was prepared to go down," Mr Devananden said.

He followed him out and grappled with the robber in the street, forcing him to drop the weapon.

"I quickly wanted to knock it down. He was just stepping backwards, stepping backwards and he still pulled the trigger twice and I knocked it down and it fell on the road," he said.

Finnie dropped the case of beer and grabbed two bottles which he used to threaten Mr Devananden, forcing him to give up the chase.

The shopkeeper said he was left terrified during his ordeal which happened on 12 March.

"The seriousness of it I didn't think much at that time," he said.

"But when you think about it really it's scary. It could have been a real gun. I could have died that day."

Finnie, of Lord Street, Grimsby pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of an imitation firearm and was jailed at Grimsby Crown Court on Tuesday.

Det Con Enea Luciano said: "This was a terrifying incident where an innocent member of the public was threatened with a gun whilst at work.

"Whilst I am keen to stress the weapon used was an imitation firearm and thankfully no was injured, the shopkeeper has been left very shaken by the incident."

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