Youths jailed for pistol-whipping

Three youths who pistol-whipped a man in a robbery have each been sentenced to 30 months in custody.

Yasar Majid, Abdul Mahmood and Faizan Yaqoob, all aged 18, burst into Punia Stores in Luton, wearing balaclavas and brandishing a silver handgun.

Owner Harjit Punia was repeatedly hit over the head with the gun when he fought back, Luton Crown Court heard.

The defendants, who are all from Luton, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of a firearm.

Prosecutor Bill McGivern said the weapon used in the robbery, on 29 February, was a ball bearing gun, which was not loaded.

Mr McGivern told how one of the gang jumped over the counter, another stayed by the door, while the gunman pointed the weapon at Mr Punia.

'Frightening weapon'

He said: "Acting with some bravery, or some might say recklessness, he looked at the gun and believing it to be an imitation he tackled the gunman.

"For his trouble he was struck several times on the head with the weapon."

But the teenagers fled empty-handed when Mr Punia's relatives rushed into the shop.

Yasar Majid, of Maidenhall Road, Abdul Mahmood, of Whipperley Ring, and Faizan Yaqoob, of Kingsway, were arrested shortly afterwards.

Passing sentence, Judge Andrew Bright, QC, told them: "You got hold of that handgun to terrify the unfortunate shopkeeper.

"It is a pretty frightening looking weapon and it is impressive that he was able to form the view that it was not real.

"You played different roles but it was on any view a joint venture in which you were all willing partners and you targeted a vulnerable man working alone in his shop at night."

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