A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to more than three years in prison after he faked being a wheelchair user to steal beer from a supermarket before launching a violent assault on a security guard.
The Stolen Beer and Violent Assault
The incident occurred on the evening of June 3 at a Sainsbury's supermarket located on Station Road in Staplehurst. Davey Brown, of Winch's Garth in Staplehurst, arrived at the store with an accomplice and pretended to be a disabled person requiring a wheelchair.
Brown concealed two crates of beer under a jacket on his lap. As an unidentified man attempted to wheel him out of the store without paying, a security guard intervened. Astonishing footage then captured the moment Brown suddenly stood up from the wheelchair and began his attack.
He threw punches and launched one of the stolen beer crates at the security guard. The violent outburst was so severe that another shop employee was injured by one of the thrown items during the chaotic scene.
The Crime Spree and Arrest
According to Kent Police, Brown's crime spree began earlier that day when the car he was driving struck a stationary vehicle on Four Elms Road in Edenbridge. He fled that scene before arriving at the Sainsbury's to carry out the robbery.
Although Brown managed to flee the supermarket after the assault, his freedom was short-lived. Police successfully hunted him down and arrested him approximately 30 minutes after the incident.
Court Sentencing and Police Statement
Brown faced a series of charges at Maidstone Crown Court, including robbery, affray, two counts of damaging property, common assault, using threatening words and behaviour, and using a motor vehicle without insurance.
He pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced on Thursday to three years and one month's imprisonment. He was also disqualified from driving.
A 17-year-old boy was also arrested and charged in connection with the incident. He was sentenced on July 12 to serve six months in a young offenders' institute.
Investigating officer, PC Ricky Strong, stated: 'Brown is a violent man who endangered another motorist, attacked a security guard and their colleague, and made threats to attending police officers. He left a man with injuries requiring hospital treatment for simply carrying out his job. A custodial sentence means Brown will be unable to put any other members of the public at risk for some time.'
