Newcastle grandma thrown to ground and knife pointed at neck during terrifying shop raid
by Rob Kennedy · ChronicleLiveA grandma feared she was going to be killed by a masked shop raider who threw her to the floor and pointed a knife at her neck in an 'absolutely terrifying' armed robbery.
Kane Rodden left a 63-year-old woman and her 20-year-old colleague injured and traumatised in a violent attack on the shop where they were working. Newcastle Crown Court heard he also attacked a brave customer who sought to intervene in shocking scenes.
It was around 5.30pm on September 1 this year that Rodden went into the Best One shop on Bedeburn Road, Newcastle, wearing a balaclava and carrying a large kitchen knife. A 20-year-old female member of staff was serving a customer at the time and saw Rodden out of the corner of her eye walking towards her.
"He went behind the counter and grabbed her arm," Lewis Kerr prosecuting, said. "He screamed at her to open the till.
"He pointed the knife towards her neck while he did this and shoved her towards the till shouting 'get it open now'." The woman took an opportunity to escape while Rodden was distracted and ran from the shop.
The 23-year-old robber, of Meadow Rise, Newbiggin Hall, Newcastle, then turned his attention to another employee, a 63-year-old woman. He had been trying to get into the till and hadn't realised he had been successful so he chased after the woman as she tried to leave.
Mr Kerr said: "He grabbed her by the neck and threw her to the ground in a chokehold manoeuvre and pushed her down." A younger male customer left but an older man bravely sought to intervene and he was also attacked by Rodden, who pushed him to the ground and punched him twice.
He then turned his violence back on the 63-year-old woman. Mr Kerr said: "He pulled her to her feet and pointed the knife towards her neck and shouted 'open the till'.
"She was not able to do that because her glasses had come off after being thrown to the ground and she couldn't see the till properly."
Rodden then realised the till was open and removed notes from it. As he left, he shoved the older worker for no reason. She was left with a bloodied lip and a lump to the back of her head and has also been severely traumatised by the ordeal.
She said in a tearful video-recorded statement to police three days after the robbery: "I'm usually a happy-go-lucky person. He has taken my confidence away.
"I'm a 63-year-old grandma. I was so frightened in case he killed me. I shouldn't have to put up with this at my age."
She added in a later victim impact statement: "I find myself constantly locking my doors. I feel constantly worried.
"I'm still working in the shop and every time the door opens I look over, worried about what's coming or who's coming through the door. My sleep pattern is non-existent and I'm constantly thinking about what happened and have been having panic attacks about what happened.
"I rely heavily on my friends for support. I just want to go back to being the person I was. I simply want to move on from this and get my life back but I'm worried, what happened on that day, I never will.
Her colleague suffered bruising to her arm and said it had affected her sleeping and eating and ability to leave the house.
Judge Gavin Doig said he "absolutely terrified" the staff members and customers. He added that the attack on the older woman was "extremely violent and unforgivable" and said the customer who intervened was "very brave".
The judge told Rodden: "I've seen the CCTV. It's a shocking incident. I'm sure you regret it now but it's one for which you will receive a lengthy and well-deserved prison sentence."
Rodden, 23, who has seven previous convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery and possessing a bladed article and was jailed for four years and eight months, of which he must serve two-thirds behind bars.
Jonathan Cousins, defending, said Rodden has long term mental health issues, including PTSD as a result of a troubled childhood. He added that he is remorseful and has used his time in prison to detoxify from drugs and engage in rehabilitation.
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