Plan B Forum

A teenager who threatened a shopkeeper and her young daughter with a sawn-off shotgun during a terrifying armed robbery has walked free from court - because he is 'young and impressionable'.




Jack Phillips, 18, from Middlesbrough, burst into the shop in Stafford and waved the 2ft-long loaded weapon at Ranvir Bassi, 35,and her seven-year-old daughter Sattreet.

Dramatic CCTV from the incident in November last year shows the robber pointing the single barrel gun directly at Mrs Bassi’s head while Sattreet hid at her feet.


Mrs Bassi - who was awarded £500 for her bravery - is then seen shoving the weapon away before bravely chasing the teenager out of the shop.

But Phillips has now been spared jail because the recorder believes he committed the crime 'under pressure'.
Mrs Bassi - who said her daughter still suffers with nightmares from the incident - has hit out at the 'ridiculous' decision and said she feels as though justice has not been done.

She said: 'I’m shocked, it is a ridiculous decision not to send him to jail.

'He terrified me and my family and my daughter still has nightmares about it. I can’t believe he is still walking the streets and free to do this to again.

'I just want to put it all behind me and move on now, and just forget about it. I don’t feel like justice has been served at all.'

But Recorder Michael Elsom said Phillips' age - and the fact others had told him to carry out the offence when he was 'young and impressionable' - meant the three-year mandatory jail-term should not be imposed.
Defence solicitor Michael Anning had argued his client did not carry out his threats and the raid was over quickly.

He said the teenager had been under pressure in relation to a debt he allegedly owed and the gun was given to him by others to commit the offence.

The mother-of-two was awarded £500 by the court after what was described as a 'thoroughly frightening incident'

Sentencing, Mr Elsom said: 'The prosecution can’t exclude the possibility that what you did on November 4 was done under the direction of others more criminally experienced than yourself, or under pressure.

'I have reports which suggest you are a person particularly susceptible to pressure.

'There must be absolutely no doubt that what you did was a very dangerous thing indeed, should anyone think I have forgotten the undoubted bravery of Mrs Bassi.

'If they had the advantage, as I have, of seeing the recording of what occurred, no-one who saw that can think it was anything other than a thoroughly frightening incident.

'Mrs Bassi behaved with extreme bravery, she didn’t know the gun you had in your hand was quite incapable of being fired.'

The court heard how police found trainers belonging to Phillips near Mrs Bassi’s shop.

They then discovered the shotgun discarded among old bike frames.

The force’s armorer told the court it was an old weapon in a poor state that could have been put into working condition and was loaded with a live 12-bore round.

Phillips admitted robbery, possessing a firearm with intent to commit robbery and possessing a prohibited weapon.

He was sentenced to two years detention, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to carry out 240 hours unpaid community work and given a six-month curfew.

After the hearing, Chief Inspector Jane Hewett, from Staffordshire Police, said: 'I would like to commend Mrs Bassi on her bravery. She showed tremendous courage.'