TERRIFYING footage shows the moment a screwdriver-wielding robber attacked a shopkeeper – so he could steal a £10 note.
CCTV footage shows Stephen Bollard, 25, barging his way towards the till and pointing a sharp screwdriver just inches away from the shopkeeper’s face.
The newsagent owner, Mohammed Ramzan, bravely fights back and tries to clutch onto his money as the robber continues to threaten him.
And he even reaches over and pulls the attacker’s hood over his face while forcing the thugs hands away from the till.
Throughout the ordeal Mr Ramzan, who is a whole foot shorter than Bollard, can be heard shouting and screaming at the top of his lungs for help.
Another man, who was being served just moments before, is seen standing by the door calming watching the events unfold.
The robber eventually ends the struggle and runs out of the shop with his loot – a £10 note.
The incident, which happened at Ramsey’s Cockenzie News in Cockenzie, East Lothian, took place shortly after 6am on 16 August last year.
Yesterday (Thurs) at the High Court in Edinburgh, Bollard pleaded guilty to a charge of assault and robbery.
At the time of the incident Mr Ramzan said: “I’m frightened and traumatised but I will carry on. Especially in a village like this, you don’t expect this kind of thing to happen.
“My family are frightened but they’re just glad no one was seriously injured. He tried to grab the money from the till – I think he got around £10.”
He explained: “I was serving the first guy. He was distracting me and as soon as I opened the till the other man ran in.
“I have had the business for 30 years and this is the first time this has happened.“
Mr Ramzan’s family shared the shocking CCTV footage online almost immediately after the incident happened.
Within 48 hours police officers had found and charged Bollard after receiving tip offs from locals.
Rab Muir, a family friend and customer for over 20 years, said: “This has never happened in this area before that we know of and I’ve lived here for 35 years.
“The community is totally disgusted. Mr Ramzan is a true gentleman. No one has a bad word to say against him.”
Full time mum, Tanya Dowding, 26, has lived in Cockenzie for four years and was shocked at the footage.
She said: “It’s crazy. It’s a shame for someone who gets up at that time of the morning for someone to do that.
“And I think it’s quite scary, to think that boy was bigger than him.
“He’s a nice, polite, quiet man. Normally he has his music on and dancing in front of the counter.”
Mr Ramzan was overwhelmed by the support he received from the community following the attack.
He said: “The whole village was concerned for me and I’m very grateful for all of their concern. I’d like to thank them for their support.”
Bollard was jailed for 14 months last April for robbery but following backdating of the sentence, he was released in July.
He was subject to a supervised release order when he struck again the following month and will appear for sentencing next month at the High Court in Edinburgh.
