Copyright walesonline
A teenager stabbed a shop worker with a screwdriver after he was confronted while trying to steal confectionery and soft drinks. After the worker knocked the basket out of his hand and sent items flying onto the floor, the thief said: "Don't try and stop me, watch me." Blake Williams, 19, attended a Tesco Express shop in Newport at 10.30pm on June 3 and picked up a basket before browsing. He went to the confectionery aisle and put items into his basket. A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday heard Darshan Deorukhar noticed the defendant was acting suspiciously at the Caerleon Road store and notified a co-worker. F or the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter . As Williams walked to the exit, he tried to walk out of the shop without paying but Mr Deorukhar grabbed hold of the basket, causing the contents to fall onto the floor. Prosecutor Owen Williams said the defendant brandished a screwdriver and lunged at the staff members, jabbing towards them with the weapon. He said: "Don't try and stop me, watch me." Williams shoved Mr Deorukhar in the chest and pushed the screwdriver into the left side of his chest. He then tried to pick up chocolate and sweets off the floor. He then brandished a knife towards the two men before leaving the shop. Mr Deorukhar suffered a bruise to the left side of his chest. In a victim personal statement read to the court by Mr Williams, he said: "The main effect over the first few days left me feeling nervous and anxious when coming to work. I was nervous in work and thought 'What if he comes back to the shop again?' or 'What if he sees me when I'm out and about?'. 'What if one of his friends sees me and wants to rob me?'. "I was a little bit frightened in the moment and got a bruise which is still not healing." Williams, of Clarence Place, Newport, was arrested and found with £27 worth of confectionery and soft drinks. The defendant pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of a bladed article. He has four previous convictions for offences including robbery, aggravated vehicle taking and theft. In mitigation, Sol Hartley said his client had spent his first time in custody while on remand, and described him as "lacking maturity". The barrister said the defendant was raised in a "chaotic environment" and was the victim of physical violence at the hands of his father. He was also diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Judge Paul Hobson sentenced Williams to 27 months detention in a young offenders institute, telling him the sentence was too serious to be dealt with by anything other than custody. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here . We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice .
