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Raid hero in line for bravery award
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Police have commended a "brave and public-spirited" man who tackled an robber as he tried to raid a betting shop.
Martin Richardson, 38, was in the William Hill bookmaker's shop in Burley, Leeds, when 20-year-old Azar Sulman entered, holding what appeared to be a handgun, and forced the cashier to hand over money.
But Sulman's plan backfired when amateur rugby player Mr Richardson blocked his escape, hit him twice with a chair and forced the gun out of his hand before holding him on the floor until police arrived. Mr Richardson is now being recommended for a courage award by West Yorkshire Police, who praised his actions.
Detective Inspector Neil Thompson, of North West Leeds Division, said: "We would like to pay tribute to Mr Richardson for his courage and cool-headedness during what must have been an absolutely terrifying experience, staring down the barrel of a gun being pointed at him by a masked robber.
"We never encourage members of the public to put themselves at risk by taking on armed criminals but Mr Richardson's brave and public-spirited actions in tackling and detaining this man clearly helped police to take a serial armed robber off the streets and stop him offending again."
Describing his actions, which were captured on CCTV, Mr Richardson told a news programme: "It just crossed my mind 'That's it, I'm going to get shot here'.
"I picked up a chair and I whacked him twice with the chair. He lost his balance and I managed to get the gun out of his hand. I kicked it away and I managed to get him on the floor, got his leg wrapped around his head in like what I call the judo move and held him there."
The raid was Sulman's fourth on the chain of betting shops and the third at the Burley branch. The robber, who had no previous convictions but had a £200-a-week cannabis habit, used a fake handgun in the hold-ups.
Sulman, of Brudenell Road, Headingley, was yesterday sentenced to six years in a young offenders' institution after pleading guilty at Leeds Crown Court to three charges of robbery and one of attempted robbery.
