Robber 'shocked' at trader's injuries

A TEENAGE robber told a murder trial jury of his shock when he saw a shopkeeper unconscious and bleeding on the floor of his Huddersfield convenience store.

Nabeel Shafi, 18, admitted being involved in robberies before but said he did not expect the man to be as seriously injured as he was.

Shopkeeper Gurmail Singh, 63, suffered fatal head injuries when he was allegedly bludgeoned to death during the raid on his Cowcliffe store in February.

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Shafi said he was one of five Huddersfield men involved in the robbery plot but only himself, Umare Aslam, 20, Rehman Afzal, 18, and Muawaz Khalid, 20, went into the shop.

He told a jury at Bradford Crown Court yesterday he had smoked two skunk cannabis joints and shared a bottle of whisky and coke with Aslam and Khalid before getting a call from the fifth defendant Shoaib Khan, 18, during which Khan suggested they do a "raise" which he took to mean a robbery.

The teenager, of Park Hill, Bradley, said he had gone to the greetings cards area of the store and from the corner of his eye he saw somebody punch Mr Singh.

Shafi said he did not know who it was. He then saw the shopkeeper grab hold of Aslam.

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The teenager claimed to have seen Khalid and Aslam grappling with Mr Singh.

Shafi said he later saw the shopkeeper unconscious and bleeding. "I panicked. I was shocked," said Shafi. He did not help Mr Singh as he did not know what to do.

Shafi and Afzal, of Jacinth Court, Fartown, have admitted the robbery charge, but Khalid, of Blackmoorfoot Road, Crosland Moor, Aslam, of Coniston Avenue, Dalton, and Khan, of Calton Street, Hillhouse, all deny the allegation. All five deny murdering Mr Singh.

Khan has admitted assisting an offender.

The trial continues.

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