A 19-year-old man who feigned being a wheelchair user to steal from a Sainsbury's store, only to leap up and violently attack a security guard, has been sentenced to prison.
The Staged Robbery and Violent Outburst
The incident began on the evening of 3 June when Davey Brown arrived at the Sainsbury's in Station Road, Staplehurst, Kent. He was being pushed in a wheelchair by an unidentified accomplice, pretending to be disabled. As he was wheeled around the store, Brown concealed two crates of beer beneath a jacket on his lap in an attempt to leave without paying.
When a security guard challenged him, Brown's deception unravelled spectacularly. He miraculously regained the use of his legs, jumping up from the wheelchair to punch the guard and hurl stolen beer cans and bottles in a frantic effort to escape. During the assault, another shop employee was injured by one of the thrown objects.
A Wider Crime Spree
This brazen theft was not an isolated event. Earlier that same evening, Brown had crashed into a stationary vehicle on Four Elms Road in Edenbridge. Shockingly, when the female victim got out of her car, Brown drove directly at her before speeding away through a red light.
After the attack at Sainsbury's, Brown fled the area but was apprehended by police just 30 minutes later. Upon his detention, he responded with a barrage of threats and verbal abuse towards the officers.
Justice Served in Court
At Maidstone Crown Court, Brown pleaded guilty to a catalogue of charges, including robbery, affray, two counts of damaging property, common assault, using threatening words and behaviour, and using a motor vehicle without insurance.
On Thursday 6 November, he was sentenced to three years and one month's imprisonment. A 17-year-old boy, arrested in connection with the theft, was also sentenced on 12 July to serve six months in a young offenders' institute.
Investigating officer, PC Ricky Strong, condemned Brown's actions, stating: ‘Brown is a violent man who endangered another motorist, attacked a security guard and their colleague, and made threats to attending police officers. He left a man with injuries requiring hospital treatment for simply carrying out his job. A custodial sentence means Brown will be unable to put any other members of the public at risk for some time.’
