The moment a drug-fuelled robber attacked a shopkeeper with a samurai sword

This was the terrifying scene when a shopkeeper was confronted by a drug-crazed robber wielding a Samurai sword.

 

His face hidden behind a black scarf, the raider swung the 18-inch weapon at Rameshkumar Rasiah screaming: “I'm going to stab you, I'm going to kill you.”

 

He then leapt up on the counter brandishing the blade.

 

But rather than flee, 31-year-old Mr Rasiah bravely confronted the thug and managed to grab the sword and wrest it from his grip.

 

Hearing the commotion from their flat upstairs, Mr Rasiah's sister and her husband, who own the shop, raced to his assistance and helped subdue the attacker using a broom and a length of pipe.

 

They grappled with 18-year-old Andrew Speed for two minutes before bundling him into a store cupboard where they locked him up until the police arrived.

 

When Speed was escorted away by officers, he pleaded: “Please, keep them away from me. I won't play up, get me out of here.”

 

After Speed was locked up for the attack, Mr Rasiah, who suffered cuts and bruises to his hand and arm, said he had 'picked on the wrong shopkeeper'.

 

He said: “I was absolutely terrified but adrenaline took over and I knew I had to stop him from stealing anything.

 

“He threw cans at me and kept trying to attack me but I was not backing down because I knew I had to protect the shop for my boss.

 

“Let this be a lesson to all thieves - you will never steal anything while I'm working in the shop.”

 

CCTV captured the raid, which happened just after 5.30am opening time at the convenience store owned by Mr Rasiah's brother-in-law Nagaratnam Jeyanthan in Southmead, Bristol.

 

After Speed was disarmed, Mr Rasiah, who arrived in the UK from Sri Lanka only a few months ago, tore the scarf from his face and recognised him as a regular customer.

 

Mr Jeyanthan, 29, who lives upstairs with his wife Suragini and their five-month old daughter, said: “I am very grateful to my brother-in-law for putting himself in danger. This was the first knife we've seen in four years here and I was shocked.

 

“I felt like closing the shop but now I think we will be staying because I feel we have the support of the community.

 

“We don't feel like heroes because we were just doing what everybody else would by protecting ourselves and our shop.”

 

Speed, from Southmead, admitted assault with intent to rob and possession of an offensive weapon. Bristol Crown Court heard that he wanted money to buy more drugs.

 

He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' youth detention. 

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