An out-of-work printer went on a mini robbery spre

An out-of-work printer went on a mini robbery spree to pay for a
fix of crack-cocaine.

During his second raid on the same day, knife-wielding Mark
Smalling, 25, was caught on a security camera threatening 15-year-old
schoolboy Abdul Ali and then wrestling with the youngster’s brave mother
when she tried to protect her son.

Snaresbrook Crown Court was told that Smalling handed himself in
after watching the video later shown on ITV’s Crime Monthly.

Smalling, of Ling Road, Canning Town, pleaded guilty to robbery
of a petrol station and attempted robbery at teenager Ali’s
parents’ store nearby.

He also admitted assault causing actual bodily harm to
the boy’s father.

Passing sentence Judge Monro Davies, QC, said: ‘These offences
are grave, involving attacks on vulnerable premises with the aid
of a very frightening weapon.

‘
Judge Davies took into consideration Smalling’s guilty pleas and
the fact that the day after the offences he went to ‘seek self-help’
for his drug problem.

Smalling was jailed for three and a half years for the attempted
raid on the shop with two years consecutive for robbing the petrol
station.

He received 18 months concurrent for assaulting Abdul’s
father, making a total prison term of five and a half years.

The court had heard how at 6.

45pm on September 19 last year,
Smalling walked into a Texaco petrol station in Barking Road, Canning
Town, and confronted cashier Mihitha Dehideniya
(correct) with a knife.

‘He put the point of the knife to the chest of the cashier and
threatened to stab him,’ said Mr Gerard Ford, prosecuting.

Smalling then leaned over the counter and took pnds stlg 50
from the till as the ‘terrified’ cashier watched.

And some three and a half hours later Smalling went into an all-
night supermarket almost opposite the garage.

‘He produced the knife and put it to the stomach of Abdul,’
said Mr Ford.

But while Smalling demanded cash from the till, his mother
Rashira, 49, grabbed the robber and managed to disarm him before being
punched to the ground.

‘The defendant was clearly anxious to recover the knife and
succeeding in retrieving it,’ added counsel.

As he left the store empty-handed Smalling slashed at Rashira’s
husband, Goyas Ali, 52, causing a small cut to his hand.

The court heard that a security camera filmed the incident and on
October 11 Smalling gave himself up after watching an edition of Crime
Monthly in which he featured.

During police interviews he apologised for his crimes but said he
was ‘high on drugs and needed another shot.

‘
Miss Nerida (correct) Harford-Bell, defending Smalling, who had
recently been made reduntant as a printer, said that the ‘evil crack-
cocaine substance’ was central to the offences.

ENDS