A ROBBER who took part in a terrifying raid that saw an 81-year-old businessman punched unconscious in his jewellery and pawn shop has been jailed.

Lukasz Weckowicz, and an unnamed accomplice, targeted their “vulnerable victim” at Raza's Buy and Sell Shop on Newport’s Commercial Street in September 2017.

The shop owner, Syed Raza, hasn’t been able to return to work because he has been left so traumatised by the robbery and lost around £6,000 during the raid.

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He feared he could have been killed during his ordeal and had his business in the city for 44 years.

Weckowicz, 34, formerly of Newport, went on the run for more than two years before he was caught just before Christmas.

The other robber is still at large, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

Steven Donoghue, prosecuting, said: “The vulnerable victim was 81 at the time of the offence and the owner of the business. He was the only person in the shop.

“It was coming up to 12.30pm and he was just about to close for lunch when the defendant and the other man approached him and indicated they wanted to buy something.

“This defendant then distracted Mr Raza by pretending he was interested in buying an item.

“The other man punched him to the head and the victim fell to the floor, knocking his head on a footstool before he hit the floor.”

Mr Donoghue added: “It was obvious he was unconscious and he was dragged out of public view. This defendant then entered the counter and stole jewellery worth approximately £6,000.”

A ‘Good Samaritan’ saw the robbers leaving the shop and went to Mr Raza’s aid.

He was taken to hospital and made a “good recovery” after suffering bruising and a cut to his eye.

The court heard how Weckowicz fled Newport and moved to Cambridge.

The jewellery stolen was never recovered.

He was arrested on December 10, 2019, for an unrelated matter and whilst in custody he was linked to raid at Raza’s after leaving his fingerprints on the counter of the shop.

Weckowicz, of Eastwood Avenue, March, Cambridgeshire, admitted robbery.

Mr Donoghue said the defendant was a Polish national who had seven previous convictions for 10 offences, including burglary, criminal damage and shoplifting.

He was sentenced to 16 months in prison seven years ago.

The prosecutor read a victim impact statement made by Mr Raza last month in which he said: “I could easily have been killed in the fall.

“It is unlikely I will ever return to work again. I have been serving the local community for more than 40 years.

“It has altered my life for the worse. It will never be the same again.”

Rachel Adams, mitigating, said: “The defendant wishes me to apologise and is remorseful. He wishes he could turn back the clock.”

Judge Nicole Jones told Weckowicz: “You have deprived a businessman of his independence and confidence and he is no longer able to work in his shop because he is frightened of being there.

“Being a decent businessman, he wanted to help you and he let you into the shop.

“You could not have known if he had survived that punch.”

Judge Jones jailed Weckowicz to three years and eight months.