West Yorkshire Police Praise 'Have-a-Go Hero' Shopworker After Armed Robber Jailed

West Yorkshire Police have praised a “have-a-go hero” who wrestled with an armed robber during a spate of crimes in Leeds on July 19, 2022.

Footage from the One Stop shop on Chandos Gardens in Leeds shows staff member Niall Stranix grappling with Marlon Stewart after Stewart entered the store while pointing a pistol at another staff member and demanding money, West Yorkshire Police said.

CCTV footage from the store shows Stranix grabbing Stewart in a headlock. Stewart can be seen striking Stranix with a bottle to the head, revealing his face in the process. Police said this enabled them to identify the culprit.

Stewart can be seen holding a weapon, which police consider to have been a plastic BB gun.

Following the struggle, Stewart left the store using a car that was stolen earlier that evening.

West Yorkshire Police said Stewart was behind a series of offences on July 19, including stealing mobile phones from two 19-year-olds in Chapel Allerton Park, and taking money from the till of a nearby corner shop, before stealing the escape car seen in the footage from a customer there.

Stewart was charged with four counts of robbery, one of attempted robbery, five counts of possession of a firearm while committing a robbery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance in relation to the evening’s incidents.

He pleaded guilty to the offences at Leeds Crown Court on October 28, 2022, and was given an extended sentence of 10 years and four months’ imprisonment. Credit: West Yorkshire Police via Storyful

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