Hartlepool takeaway chef feared for his life when attempted robber pinned him to wall and held knife to throat

Intoxicated Kenneth Ward pinned the cook up against a wall after entering Donatello’s on Raby Road at night and demanded he give him all of his money.

Teesside Crown Court heard Ward, whose eyes were glazed, rushed towards the victim and opened the counter before threatening him with a knife.

The victim, who managed to disarm him during a struggle, said he was in genuine fear for his life.

Sam Faulks, prosecuting, said the chef became scared when he spotted a knife on Ward and ran to the kitchen.

He said: “The defendant then used his left arm to grab the material of the chef’s left shoulder jacket and used his left forearm to press across the chef’s chest to pin him up against the wall.

"The defendant held the knife in his right hand sideways against [the victim’s] throat.

"The defendant then said ‘you have got money, I have got none. Give me the money’.”

Ward also threatened a neighbour who intervened believing Ward was trying to stab the chef.

The chef persuaded Ward he needed to go to his car to get money, but he became more unstable and held the knife to the victim’s throat again.

The court heard he was experiencing paranoia and voices in his head at the time which was made worse by his misuse of drugs.

More crime: Hartlepool drug addict jailed for hospital laptop burglary

The victim, who began to push back, said: “It hurt and I was afraid for my life. This whole incident has left me feeling very scared.”

Ward, who has previous convictions for robbery and violence, dropped the knife during the struggle and made off empty-handed on a bike.

He admitted the attempted robbery and possession of a knife on December 14, 2019.

Andrew Turton, defending, said: “At the time of the offence he was living a chaotic lifestyle, mental health problems clearly exacerbated by drug misuse, [and] as referred to paranoia, hearing voices in his head.”

He said Ward, of Crescent Road Middlesbrough, was much better since spending time in a mental health hospital and getting stable accommodation.

Judge Howard Crowson jailed him for three years and four months.

Related story: Hartlepool man and woman in court following early hours assault and burglary

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