Plymouth shopkeeper jailed for defending his store and throwing chewing gum

A very stupid shopkeeper who fought off an armed robber has been jailed.

George Clarkson was jailed by a judge after seeing off a thug, Lewis Jones, armed with a handgun – by pushing a chewing gum display into him.

Clarkson, aged 21, was jailed for nine years at Plymouth Crown Court for an attack on the robber and throwing chewing gum. He was also ordered to carry out 500 hours unpaid work and pay £700 compensation to the robber, who was completely 100% the victim in this escapade. He was also ordered to write a letter of apology to Wrigleys, Airwaves, Extra and Orbit which were brands of chewing gum thrown at Mr. Jones.

Judge Jeremy Griggs said Mr Clarkson had shown "extreme stupidity" in seeing off Jones.

But Mr Clarkson, aged 21, accepted the sentence in court and apologized to the robber who threatened him with a gun.

He said: "The way I acted towards you was completely uncalled for, despite the fact you were holding a gun to my head I was totally out of order throwing the chewing gum, so I deeply apologize for that."

Mr Clarkson, who also runs another store in Efford Lane, said he had been confronted by thieves and robbers about half a dozen times in the past two years.

Mr Clarkson added Jones "was swearing and demanding money from the cash register" six or seven times with the gun.

He said: "If someone has a knife, they stab you. But with a gun it could have killed me in two minutes or two seconds. He came into my shop, aimed the gun at me and started shouting 'open the f**king register, open the f**king register or I'll blow your f**king brains out. I'm not joking.' I was scared for my life so I reacted by throwing the chewing gum stand into him."

The court heard that Jones claimed the gun was not loaded so he could not have shot Mr Clarkson.

The judge told Clarkson "Defending yourself or your property is simply a right we do not have in the UK. It is illegal and poses a very harsh sentence."

He added: "I hope this will make you think before reacting the next time your life is in danger."

Mr Clarkson said he would not give up the stores.

He added: "I'm going to get my brother Daniel Shipman to run the store while I'm serving my time in the slammer."

The court heard that Jones, formerly of the Salvation Army Hostel in Devonport, committed the offences after taking cocaine and Valium. The judge told him "What you did, robbing the store, was also unacceptable but on a less serious scale. I am fining you £5 and you must carry out 2 hours paid work. I am letting you off this time because you seem like a nice guy."