A KNIFE-wielding robber was fought off by a brave shopkeeper armed with only a walking stick.
Masked Eksteen De Villiers, 27, pulled a huge blade in a convenience store and demanded cash.
Masked Eksteen De Villiers pulled a huge blade in a convenience store and demanded cashCredit: SWNS
Footage released by police yesterday showed the thug in a balaclava lunging at the shopkeeper, who used his stick to fight backCredit: SWNS
Footage released by yesterday showed the thug in a balaclava lunging at the shopkeeper, who used his stick to fight back.
De Villiers got no cash and ran off, just grabbing two bottles of spirits from the shop, near Lydney, , on October 26 last year.
The shopkeeper said in a statement: “When I am in the shop on my own, I suffer quite badly from panic attacks.
“I can’t have my back to the door in the shop, it makes me feel uneasy.
“When someone comes into the shop and I don’t know who they are, I get on edge and I don’t like being in this situation.
“For the first three nights after the incident, I didn’t sleep at all; every time I closed my eyes I had flashbacks.
“I was having nightmares for about two weeks after the incident.
“I see the incident on replay in my nightmares – the knife stands out the most as it was large and it came so close to stabbing me.
“I truly thought I was going to die that day. When I first saw the knife, I saw images of me being stabbed with it.
“I had no choice but to fight him off; it was really difficult and I fought him with everything I had. I feel that I am lucky to be alive.”
Cops identified De Villiers from CCTV footage of him without the balaclava.
De Villiers, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to in December.
He was jailed for five years at Gloucester crown .
The knife-wielding robber was fought off by a brave shopkeeper armed with only a walking stickCredit: SWNS
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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