Brave Newport shop worker fought back against robber

Paula Shea-Godden stood up to Lee Sanderson, who was high on crack cocaine, during her scary ordeal while she was working at St Woolos Stores on Newport’s Stow Hill.

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The 48-year-old defendant was handed a suspended jail sentence by a judge after he said there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation” in his case.

Jeffrey Jones, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “He entered the shop at 7.50pm in the evening on September 2 and he asked for 100 cigarettes and some Lemsip.

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“The defendant then tried to pay using a contactless card but had to use chip and pin because the combined amount came to £49.25.

“This caused him difficulty and he then effectively started to bully her.

“He told her, ‘All you have to do is give them to me.” He was much taller and bigger than her.

“She put her finger on the panic button and said she would press it. He said, ‘Whatever.’

“He then pushed her out of the way and grabbed the items and turned to leave.

“The victim, with some courage, pulled his face mask and hat off his head.

“She then hit him with a whisky bottle on his head.”

Mr Jones said Sanderson fled with the cigarettes and a bag of £1 and £2 coins of an unknown value.

He said the victim described the raid as “terrifying”.

Police were able to identify the unmasked Sanderson when they watched CCTV footage of the incident.

The defendant, of Clifton Place, Newport, pleaded guilty to robbery.

He has 17 previous convictions for 44 offences, including fraud, theft and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Nicholas Gedge, representing Sanderson, said his client was a former highly paid food distribution company manager who had once been responsible for 300 employees.

His barrister told the court how the defendant had experienced problems with crack cocaine and his life had “spiralled out of control”.

The judge, Recorder Sean Bradley, said he was prepared to suspend the sentence because Sanderson was working to overcome his drug issues and his remorse was “genuine”.

He was jailed for 16 months, suspended for 18 months, and has to complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

The defendant must observe an eight-month curfew between 7pm and 6am, pay £500 prosecution costs and a £156 victim surcharge.