Robbers with machete brought terror to garage and grocer

The pair, wearing hooded tops and scarves across their faces to disguise their appearance, first struck on the evening of June 6 at a petrol station in Middleton Park Road, Leeds.

Afsal Rataki was at the till when he suddenly heard a voice demanding money or threatening to kill him and looked up to see one of the raiders, later identified as Anthony Robinson, running towards him brandishing a machete.

His 16-year-old accomplice, who cannot be identified, was propping open the door to enable their escape. Carmel Pearson, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court Robinson began to swing the machete towards Mr Rataki who moved back to get out of the way.

When the robber again demanded money he threw some notes from the till towards him but that was not enough and Robinson demanded cigarettes, while still brandishing the weapon.

After twice being given cigarettes he eventually ran out with his teenage accomplice throwing sweets towards Mr Rataki as they did so. They got away with about 200. Miss Pearson said three days later the duo struck again at a grocery store in Middleton, which had been run by Baldev Bhambra and his family for many years.

Mr Bhambra was in the shop at about 7.30pm when he heard a voice saying "Give me your money, give me all the notes you have" and saw two men with scarves across their faces.

This time it was the younger robber who was carrying the machete and he banged it repeatedly on the counter continuing to demand money.

Mr Bhambra was going to refuse to hand it over but one of the raiders reached over and grabbed the drawer of the till.

They then fled from the premises in front of a horrified passer-by who saw the machete as they ran by her. The drawer was later emptied and abandoned in a field with the two sharing the 1,400 from it.

When he was arrested the machete was recovered from under a sofa at Robinson's home. He told police he spent money on his children and paying off a drug debt. Miss Pearson said the psychological impact of the robbery on Mr Bhambra was considerable and he now found it difficult to work in the shop.

Robinson, 30 of Sissons Avenue, Middleton, Leeds, was jailed for a total of six years after admitting both robberies and possessing an offensive weapon. The 16-year-old admitted the same offences and was given a two-year detention and training order.

Recorder Patrick Palmer said they were serious offences. He had seen photographs of the machete which was a "fearsome weapon" with a curved blade.

Robinson took the lead in the first robbery with the teenager having the machete in the second, both committed against victims who were on their own.

He said Mr Bhambra was still suffering from flashbacks over his ordeal and had difficulty sleeping. "He has been running that shop for 40 years and it seems you two have both ruined that for him."

Jayne Dodson, for Robinson, said although he had spent money on his children his main motive for committing the offences to pay off an old drug debt after receiving threats that he or his children would be kidnapped otherwise.

He used the machete for cutting hedges and accepted it would scare the victims for which he now expressed remorse.

Simon Perkins, for the teenager, said he was immature and was led astray by an older associate at a time when he was bored and at a loose end living away from his mother who usually made sure he stayed out of trouble.