DEFIANT Newport shopkeeper Mohammed Alam, pictured, says he now "lives in fear" after he tackled armed robbers at his store for the second time in five years. Yesterday at Cardiff crown court, the gang of three who robbed Mr Alam's Rogerstone store were locked up for a total of ten years.

And Judge Peter Richards praised Mr Alam for his "astonishing bravery" during the attack which occurred in April this year. Nicholas Lane, aged 21, of Blackwater Close, Bettws, and Brian Davies, of Llanthewy Road, Newport were each jailed for four and a half years after admitting the robbery.

Kimberley Davies, aged 19, of Cae Perllan Road, the Gaer, a dental nurse with no previous convictions, wept as she was sentenced to 12 months at a young offenders' institution after being convicted for her part in the robbery as the "driver".

The court heard how two of the robbers, Lane and Brian Davies, entered Greenfield Food Stores at about 7:30pm and threatened Mr Alam with a knife, demanding money from the till.

After Mr Alam resisted, he was hit four or five times with the butt of the knife, before they made off with the till containing £204.

Mr Alam chased the robbers along Greenfield Road.

Judge Peter Richards said: "The person inside was very vulnerable indeed. Mr Alam's bravery was astonishing and the cause of you not going away with this astonishing amount of money."

Speaking after the sentencing, a defiant Mr Alam said he would never make life easy for robbers.

He said: "Since the robbery I am fearful, especially in the evenings if I am in the shop on my own, but I now take precautions. I have become more suspicious of people who come into the shop, and I will never feel the same.

"When it first happened five years ago, that time I was able to take the knife off them and then they ran away.

" I am a determined person, who does not give up easily. People say you should just give up when there is a robbery, but I think that just encourages people to do it again.

"If you make things as difficult as possible, it will make them think twice before doing it again.

"I am glad that justice has been done, and thank the police for their hard work in getting the offenders brought to justice. The only way to deal with these people is to stand up to them."

Mr Alam needed hospital treatment following the robbery for a cut to his finger, and bruising to his shoulders.