He hoped the knife would scare the thief away – but he ended up getting punched by the shoplifter
A shopworker who pulled a box-cutting knife out of his pocket when confronted by a shoplifter has been given a suspended prison sentence.
Swansea Crown Court heard Carl Wilson was working in the Waunarlwydd branch of CK’s on the evening of January 27 when a man entered the store, his face half-covered by a scarf.
The customer was seen acting suspiciously in the alcohol aisle before putting alcohol into a bag.
Dean Pulling, prosecuting, said Wilson locked the shop doors – as was store policy – while another member of staff spoke to the would-be shoplifter.
The alcohol was handed back and Wilson then unlocked the doors but as the man left the store he barged into the defendant.
The court heard a confrontation then ensued between the two men outside the shop during which Wilson produced a knife from his pocket and held it by his side.
Mr Pulling said the two men began “struggling”, with the shoplifter striking Wilson a number of times. During the course of the “physical altercation” the knife fell to the floor.
Wilson’s colleague, seeing what was going on outside, picked up a broom and went outside to break-up the fight. Noticing the lock-knife on the ground she kicked it away.
Wilson then returned to the shop and moments later the other man kicked the glass shop door and smashed it.
The court heard the shoplifter was arrested that night and told officers about the knife incident. Police went to CK’s the next day and spoke to Wilson, who showed them the spot above a ceiling tile in an office where he had hidden the weapon.
No previous convictions
Wilson, aged 42, of Abercedi, Penclawdd, had previously pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article in a public place when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.
The court heard he had no previous convictions.
Dan Griffiths, for Wilson, described the events of January 27 as “a very unusual set of circumstances”.
He said the defendant used the lock-knife for opening boxes in work and had it in his pocket. When the confrontation started outside the shop he produced it in the hope of scaring the shoplifter away.
However Mr Griffiths said Wilson’s actions had had the opposite effect and led to him being hit a number of times.
Recorder Ifan Wyn Lloyd Jones said the moment knives were introduced into a situation anything could happen, adding it was “extremely fortunate” that nobody had been injured.
He told Wilson the conviction meant he had lost his good character.
He sentenced Wilson to six months in prison suspended for 12 months and ordered him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
The court heard that the man who Wilson had the confrontation with had subsequently been fined after admitting theft and criminal damage.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/supermarket-worker-knife-open-boxes-12809735
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