A hammer-wielding thief who was sat on by a hero Scots gran during an attempted armed robbery has been jailed.
George Kinnear has been locked away for 30 months after he brandished a claw hammer and demanded staff hand over cash at Browns newsagents in Glasgow on December 27, 2021. We told last week how Roseann Gibson, 63, was working in the shop with young nephew Christopher Brown when the 45-year-old, wearing a balaclava, walked in.
CCTV footage captured the impressive moment Christopher, 26, flew over the counter towards him before Roseann helped her pin the bungling raider to the ground while an elderly customer move the weapon away. Despite only being 4ft 11, Roseann and her nephew managed to keep Kinnear pinned down until police arrived before later discovering he also had a knife hidden in his pocket.
Armed forces veteran Kinnear appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court where he admitted attempted armed robbery, threatening violence and brandishing a hammer at Christopher. He also admitted being in possession of a knife.
Roseann previously told the Daily Record: “When I watched the CCTV back, I was shocked. I just can’t believe I did it. A lot of things have changed since it happened.
“Before, I would never have thought twice about standing outside the shop early in the morning while we wait to open up which I’ve done for 42 years. But now I wait in my car across the road.
“I’m annoyed that I feel that way but I’m scared and angry. You always get dafties but this is the first time something as bad as this has happened. There is a panic button right behind where Christopher was standing but his instincts took over.
“He said he just saw the hammer and thought about me while I was thinking about him.”
Recalling the fateful morning, which took place just days after Christmas, Roseann said: “Christopher and myself opened up the shop that morning and it was about 7.50am. He had set up the papers and a lady came in.
“She had a bag full of presents for my grandson. I saw her and came from behind the counter to speak to her because I’d been tidying the magazines.
“I was aware of somebody else coming in but thought it was just a normal customer. But the next minute, I saw the newspapers getting thrown over. That’s when I looked and saw the guy had a hammer.
“By that time, Christopher had thrown the papers over and diverted him. He was coming with the hammer. I managed to get the guy down using the side of my body but by that time, Christopher had flown over the counter to throw a plastic perspex screen.
“He got him down and we sat on him. I must admit, although I say we sat on him, it was pretty hard because he was trying to get up while we were trying to keep him down.
“I got the balaclava off of him because I wanted to see his face to see if I knew him. I did recognise him - not as a good customer but someone who had been in the shop before.
“We just held him down. He obviously let go of the hammer and Mrs Callaghan lifted it which you can see in the video. She was obviously giving him mouth.
“I never normally had my phone on me in the shop but I did that morning because I had been pricing something. Lucky enough, I managed to hold him down with me on top of Christopher and phoned the police.
“They were really quick in coming. The police came back in and told us he had a knife when they searched him. I still can’t believe that this happened.”
Sheriff Daniel Kelly told Kinnear that a custodial sentence was only appropriate disposal.
He added: "This was a serious and violent offence involving you brandishing a hammer while masked in the newsagent.
"This was an offence that would have been terrifying for those present.
"The victim has expressed how this has impacted on him psychologically and in relation to the family business which he is part of."
Kinnear's lawyer earlier told the sentencing that Kinnear - who was discharged from the armed forces - was on medication and had drunk alcohol on the day of the incident.
Jeffrey Rankin added: "Mr Kinnear accepts that he acted in the way described and he is deeply ashamed of his conduct.
"He has no memory of the offence and is shocked and disgusted by the events.
"On seeing the video, he cannot comprehend why he acted this way."
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