A shop owner was doused in petrol by a gang of rob
A shop owner was doused in petrol by a gang of robbers who held a gun to his 14-year-old son’s head, the Old Bailey heard today.
(THURS)
Terrified Sevet Aktepe could only watch helplessly as the raiders rifled the till with the pistol held to son Ennis’s temple.
The attack at the AK supermarket in Edmonton was staged by the same gang who had attempted to rob pnds stlg 40,000 from a Tesco Express shop in Winchmore Hill nine months earlier, the Old Bailey heard.
But the gang had left a series of tell-tale clues which proved they were responsible, said Old Bailey prosecutor Max Hill.
A Coke bottle left at Tesco by Mario Joannou, 18, had traces of his DNA on it, the jury was told.
An angle grinder the crooks bought with them bore the fingerprint of 22-year-old Machi Sambo.
One of the gang members Jamie Taylor, 21, later confessed he was on both robberies and then turned Queen’s evidence to inform on his former pals.
When he was arrested a fourth accused gang member Lawrence Bruce-Larbi, 22, insisted: ‘I’m a good boy – you got me?
‘My ma bought me up the right way – I don’t go out doing none of this rubbish.
‘
The court heard staff at Tescos in Green Lane were about to shut for the night on Friday November 19 1999 when Taylor Joannou, Sambo and Bruce Larbi came into the shop.
‘The prosecution say that a firearm, a gun of some type was brandished during this robbery and violence was show towards members of staff,’ Mr Hill said.
One worker Sheila Blackwell was so viciously assaulted she was left with a broken jaw.
Two male members of staff Roy Chaplin and Makesh Patel were also attacked in the main part of the shop.
But the robbery came to an end when the raiders fled believing an alarm had been sounded.
In their haste to escape they dropped the blank firing pistol which had been used to threaten staff.
The gang were not traced until after they hit the second supermarket.
The court heard Taylor, Bruce-Larbi and Sambo robbed the shop with a third youth, Stephen Stavri, 18.
‘Bruce-Larbi sprayed petrol from a squeegy bottle all over the front counter and indeed all over the proprietor,’ said Mr Hill.
‘Mr Sambo entered the shop and placed a handgun which he had to the had of Mr Aktepe’s 14-year-old son Ennis.
Mr Stavri was the last to enter.
His role was to grab the till and run off with it.
‘
Police found the bottle used to spray the petrol was found near the scene.
Mr Hill added that Sambo was wearing the same ‘Tommy Gear’ baseball hat on both raids.
When he was arrested Joannou allegedly said: ‘Yes, I was something to do with it.
I was just there.
He added: ‘I didn’t get anything from it.
I just wanted to be part of it, part of the gang.
Sambo refused to answer police questions and
Bruce-Larbi claimed he was not present at either raid.
Joannou of Grosvenor Road, Sambo of Elmsworth Road and Bruce Larbi of Beaconsfield Road, all Edmonton deny possession of a firearm with intent, three charges of assault with intent to rob and three of robbery on November 19 1999.
Bruce Larbi and Sambo further deny a possession of a firearm with intent robbery and causing a noxious thing to be administered with intent to endanger life on July 1 2000
The court heard Taylor of Aberdeen Parade, Edmonton, has admitted assault and attempted robbery at Tescos.
He further admits robbery at the AK supermarket and causing a noxious thing to be administered.
Stavri, of Bowes Road, Palmers Green has admitted robbery and causing a noxious thing to be administered.
The trial continues.
ends
