A teenage armed bandit was brought to justice than

A teenage armed bandit was brought to justice thanks to the
incredible bravery of a minicab driver, the Old Bailey heard
today Friday.

Mr Gabriel Akintunde, 42, refused to submit to the orders of
the 16-year-old who was using him as his unwitting getaway
driver from a service station raid moments before.

Instead of driving off as ordered, the courageous driver
told police over the radio where he was.

Mr Akintunde was threatened with a terrifying revolver by
the teenager, who cannot be named because of his age.

The pair was wrestling over the weapon as police squad cars
raced to the scene and arrested the Fulham youth.

Only then did Mr Akintunde discover the gun could only
fire blanks.

At the Old Bailey he admitted attempting to rob the Shell
service station on New Kings Road, Fulham, on August 7 this
year and related firearms charges.

The judge was told the teenager had amassed a shocking
criminal record with 52 offences, including serious violence and
sexual crimes.

Mr Recorder Gilbert Gray QC sentenced him to three years
youth custody and warned him he risked ‘serving life
imprisonment on the instalment plan’ if he continued offending.

The court had heard that the youth had gone to the service
station in the early hours of the morning and poked the gun at
cashier Edward Nesathasan, 32, through the hatch.

When he was rebuffed, he took the gun out, pointed it to one
side and fired, said Mr Geoffrey Birch, prosecuting.

‘It was clearly intended to demonstrate that he had a live
revolver in his hand.

The idea was to frighten the cashier.

‘He made further demands for money and at that stage Mr
Nesathasan managed to go to the back of the shop and dial 999.

‘
The youth fled into the night and hired a minicab from a
nearby firm.

Mr Akintunde was hired to drive him to Shepherds
Bush.

Seconds after they left, the police converged on the minicab
office and made contact with the driver by radio.

In the car, the youth unsuccessfully tried to coerce Mr
Akintunde not to answer the radio then threatened to shoot him
unless he drove off.

‘Mr Akintunde took him on and grappled with him.

During the
course of the struggle which ensued, the police arrived and
arrested the youth,’ counsel said.

The court was told the teenager’s 52 previous convictions
included robbery and firearm offences, wounding, assaults,
possessing offensive weapons, burglary, criminal damage and
indecency.

The judge was told the youth was a crack addict and had
committed the robbery out of desperation to pay for his habit.

Mr Recorder Gray told him: ‘You know how extremely serious
and criminal your conduct was.

‘Your victim was vulnerable, isolated and at risk.

‘You then made trouble for the cab driver and the police when
they came to arrest you.

‘You are still only a mere boy but you have got so street-
wise, hardened and tough, heaven knows alone where you are
going.

‘In the short term, you are going somewhere where your
liberty is restricted.

‘
The judge said the ‘tariff sentence’ for the crime was seven
years detention but said a crushing sentence might turn the
youth into ‘an enemy of society’.

The teenager did not react as he was sentenced to three years
detention in a young offenders institution.

ENDS