Thugs who have appeared before the courts in recent weeks and months

Names and faces of North East thugs sentenced for targeting shopkeepers

by · ChronicleLive

These are the faces of North East thugs who have been before the courts for attacking shopkeepers.

One man, who had 166 previous convictions, was jailed for threatening a shopkeeper with a knife whilst also being drunk, while another threatened a shopkeeper with a dirty blade before stealing the till. One woman squirted bleach in a shopkeeper's eyes after believing her children had been injured in an assault.

Many are now facing significant stretches behind bars for their crimes.

Here we take a look at the people who were in the dock for their sickening offences.

Scott Brewis

A brave shopkeeper fought off a knife-wielding raider with a shutter pole.
The terrified shop owner feared he was about to be stabbed when Scott Brewis pulled a knife out and started demanding money. Newcastle Crown Court heard on July 13 this year that Brewis went into the Happiness Foodstore, in Ashington, wearing a hat and with the bottom half of his face covered.
Brewis approached the counter where the owner of the shop was working and pulled out what the victim said looked like a pen knife with a dirty blade around three to four inches long.
The quick-thinking victim, despite his fear, grabbed a pole he used for opening and closing shutters and tried to use it to hit the knife out of Brewis' hand. The raider then fled the shop and ran away.
The victim said in an impact statement: "The incident has made me very scared and may have a long lasting effect on me."
Brewis pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and having a bladed article. He also admitted two counts of theft that same day from B&M in Ashington, one before the attempted robbery and one after. In both offences he store Lenor detergent worth £45.
The 31-year-old, of no fixed address, who has 18 previous convictions, mainly for shop theft and burglary, was jailed for three years and one month.(Image: Northumbria Police)

Aaron Greenhow

A shop robber who yanked a till from a terrified shop worker was thwarted by a hero van driver who blocked his getaway.
Aaron Greenhow went into Boldon Lane News, in South Shields, on August 13, 2022 with his hood up to disguise himself. Caroline McGuirk, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: "He approached the counter to steal the till from the lady behind the counter, who held onto it, or the wire of it, to try to prevent him stealing it.
"This tug-of-war lasted less than a minute. Her left wrist repeatedly made contact with the counter, leaving a large bump on her wrist."
The till wire eventually snapped and Greenhow ran out of the shop with it. However he was thwarted when a quick-thinking van driver spotted what was happening and drove his vehicle in front of the robber, causing him to run into the side of it and drop the till, which he left behind with his fingerprints on it.
The court heard the offence has had a serious impact on the victim, who had worked there for 27 years. She initially returned to work but was always on edge and ended up retiring because she was "crippled with anxiety".
She said in a statement: "The only place I feel safe is in my home, which I rarely leave for fear of running into him. I'm afraid of something similar happening to me again.
"I've been left mentally scarred by the events. I should be able to enjoy my retirement but he has taken that away from me."
The court heard the shop was left hundreds of pounds out of pocket due to having to get a replacement till.
Greenhow, 31, of Gresford Street, South Shields, who has 58 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to robbery and was jailed for four years.(Image: Northumbria Police)

Sam Keelan

A robber armed with a letterbox flap terrified a kind shopkeeper who had helped him in the past.
The owner of the Premier shop in North Shields had given Sam Keelan food when he was hungry and knew his mother. But that didn't stop him targeting him with demands he hand over money and his phone.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that shortly after the shopkeeper opened the shop, on Gallant Terrace, North Shields, on the morning of June 3 last year, Keelan and his brother went in and they were asked to leave after arguing with each other.
Keelan returned a number of times throughout the morning, shouting and trying to buy drink but was refused as the shop owner thought he was in no fit state to consume it. The court heard he was being loud and argumentative and at one point he threw a bottle at an upstairs window, smashing the bottle.
Around 15 minutes later, Keelan returned and started shouting at the victim, demanding to use his phone. He refused and Keelan pulled out a letter box flap and pointed it towards him, saying "Give me your money, give me your phone".
The "extremely scared" victim told Keelan he was going to phone his mother but instead called the police, at which point Keelan fled. The victim said in an impact statement: "As a result of the incident I'm still feeling a little shaken because this has never happened to me before.
"I've always been kind to Sam and gave him food when he was hungry. The incident upset a lot of my customers and I don't wan't Sam back in the shop."
Keelan, 23, of Chatton Street, East Howdon, North Tyneside, who has 23 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and was jailed for two years. He was also given a restraining order banning him from the shop and contacting the victim.
The court heard Keelan has ADHD and schizophrenia and his mental health deteriorated after he withdrew from mental health services. Helen Towers, defending said: "He is very grateful to the complainant for the previous help he has given him and he is very remorseful that it's this gentleman who has suffered."(Image: Northumbria Police)

Gary Smith

A brave shopkeeper disarmed a drunken knifeman who threatened him with a blade while trying to steal from him.
Gary Smith, who had drunk six cans of cider and half a bottle of rum, went into the Best One shop, on Welbeck Road, Walker, Newcastle, in the middle of the day on April 11 this year. He had been banned from the store and the owner repeatedly asked him to leave.
Sophie Johnstone, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: "The defendant tried to steal a bottle of vodka from behind the counter but was prevented from doing so. A colleague rang the police and the defendant pulled out a knife - it appeared to be a kitchen knife.
"The complainant hustled with him and got control of the knife and removed it from him. Despite this, the defendant continued to remonstrate with him and some glass bottles of cider were smashed."
Smith, 44, of Farne Terrace, Walker, who has 166 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to threatening a person with a knife and attempted theft. He was jailed for 14 months.
Recorder Simon Eckersley told him: "In the middle of the day on the 11th of April, when the victim was doing no more than trying to eke out a leaving in the most difficult of times you, significantly in drink, entered his shop armed with a knife, intending to steal from him, to steal enough alcohol to meet the needs of your alcoholism.
"People carrying knives sometimes ends up with serious consequences. When you carry a knife it's very simple to pull it out and once out it's very simple to be used and it's very simple to cause injury. When someone is injured with a knife it's more a matter of luck than judgement if serious injury is caused."
Mark Harrison, defending, said: "He had been a regular customer up to a fairly recent falling out leading to him being barred. He is, sadly, an alcoholic.
"Mercifully, nobody was hurt and he was quickly and bravely overpowered. The shopkeeper was brave in his approach toward the defendant."(Image: Northumbria Police)

Natasha Stephenson

A North Tyneside mother squirted bleach in a shopkeeper's face in an "unpleasant attack".
Natasha Stephenson carried out the attack after an earlier altercation with the shopkeeper about preventing her from stealing from his shop. The 36-year-old later went on to arm herself with a bottle of bleach from a lorry before spraying it in his face.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Stephenson, who has complex mental health issues, was under the impression her children had been injured in an assault and was "encouraged" to carry out the attack by others. Fortunately, the attack did not leave the shopkeeper with lasting injuries.
On Wednesday, September 4, Stephenson, of Strawberry Gardens, Wallsend, appeared at the court to be sentenced for grievous bodily harm without intent. She had pleaded guilty to the offence.
The court heard that the attack was carried out in a Palmersville store against the shopkeeper on July 30, last year.
The court was told that Stephenson, who has four children, had also become "upset" after believing her kids had been assaulted. Judge Spragg said that it appeared she was then "encouraged by others to attend" the shop with a bottle of bleach she got from a lorry.
The judge continued: "[The victim] went towards the door and you sprayed him in the face with bleach which was painful for him. His eyes were very sore but there were no lasting injuries and he made a full recovery. The chemical burn was low, it was a very unpleasant attack for him." The court heard that before the attack, the shopkeeper had been "welcomed into the local community".
Katie Spence, defending, said Stephenson wanted to apologise to the victim and "accepts full responsibility for her actions". She said: "She blames herself entirely."
Ms Spence told the court Stephenson had been trying to get help for her mental health issues for a number of years but had not had any. She said she is now receiving help and suffers from an unstable personality disorder, as well as PTSD and alcohol abuse issues.
Judge Spragg handed Stephenson an eight month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. She must also complete 20 rehabilitation days and a three year restraining order was imposed.(Image: Northumbria Police)