Two brave pizza shop staff who chased after a shot

Two brave pizza shop staff who chased after a shotgun-
wielding bandit have been praised for their heroism by an
Old Bailey judge.

Azad Ali and Sajjad Miah, who were armed only with a stick,
were instrumental in bringing Edward Ryan, 40, to justice
after he raided their Camden restaurant.

Heroin addict Ryan was arrested nearby thanks to their
efforts.

In court, he was convicted of armed robbery for the
May 4 raid this year.

After sentencimg him to eight years jail, Mr Recorder
James Stewart QC, paid tribute to the ‘extraordinary courage’
that landed Ryan behind bars.

‘Were it not for the bravery of Mr Ali and Mr Miah there
is no doubt that this man would not have been caught.

‘Ryan demanded money and pointed the sawn-off shotgun
straight at Mr Ali’s chest so he was terrified and forced to
hand over the contents of the till.

‘After the robbery had taken place, those two workers had
the guts and courage to arm themselves with a stick and go in
chase of those who robbed them.

‘They put themselves potentially in considerable danger
but continued in the chase.

‘
The judge said only ‘hard luck’ prevented them capturing
Ryan on their own.

The fugitive was eventually nabbed by a
pair of alert PCs in nearby Euston Road.

His accomplice, who had been armed with a knife, got clean
away.

Mr Miah and Mr Ali, both in their 20s, were not in court
to hear the words of praise.

Ryan denied being responsible for the raid on the Captain
Tony’s Pizza restaurant on Hampstead Road, Camden, but was
convicted on ‘plain evidence’, the judge said.

He showed no emotion as the guilty verdict was returned.

The court was told Ryan, a self employed painter and
decorator of Royal College Street, Camden, had been heavily
addicted to heroin at the time of the robbery.

It was his first foray into big league crime.

The judge told Ryan: ‘Together with another man you went
into that pizza restaurant late on that bank holiday Monday,
when you believed the till would be at its fullest.

‘It is just this type of premises that need the protection
of the courts.

‘Everyone who commits offences like these must know that
deterrent sentences must follow.

‘
Ryan remained expressionless as the sentence was announced.

ENDS