Belfast chemist stabber jailed

by John Cassidy

A MAN who stabbed a chemist during an attempted robbery to get drugs to feed his addiction was today (Friday) handed a 12 year prison sentence.

At Belfast Crown Court, Patrick Campbell (28), of no fixed abode, was told he would serve six years in custody followed by six years on supervised licence on his release from jail.

Judge Geoffrey Miller QC told Campbell that as part of his licence conditions, he would have to live at approved Probation Service accommodation.

The judge said that during the licence period, the defendant would also have to be "electroncially tagged for such period as is deemed both proportionate and necessary to monitor his behaviour''.

Campbell pleaded guilty to robbery, two counts of attempted of attempted robbery, possession of a knife, wounding intent to cause grievous bodily harm and assault on police.

Prosecution lawyer David Russell told the court Campbell entered a retail unit at the Spires Mall in Belfast city centre on April 5, 2017, and placed a black handled 6 inch knife on the counter.

He told a female shop worker: "I need you to open the till, don't do anything stupid''. She told him it was empty and he told her not to take any pictures of him with her phone and after checking the till he said: "Thanks.''

The court heard that in the early hours of April 6, 2017, a woman was walking along Beechmount AVenue in west Belfast after collecting medicine for her sick child.

"She was approached by a male who asked for directions. He then produced a 3-4 inch long knife, put it 30 cm from her stomach and told her: "Give me everything you have.'' The woman gave him her mobile phone and Campbell told her: 'Right now f*** off'.''

Mr Russell said that around 9.30 am on the same date, Campbell entered McDonagh's pharmacy on the Falls Road in west Belfast armed with a knife.

"There were three members of staff in the pharmacy namely Peter Wright, Paul McDonagh and Sheila Rooney,'' said the prosecution lawyer.

"Mr Wright noted the accused had a mask coming up to his nose area and a knife in his right hand.

"He came up to the counter and said a couple of times: 'I want all your Tramadol'. Mr Wright did not reply and the accused lunged at Mr Wright stabbing him in the upper left side of his chest close to his heart.

(Blood left as a result of the stabbing at McDonagh's pharmacy)

"Mr Wright went to obtain a towel to stem the flow of blood and when he returned he saw the accused struggling with McDonagh who had also been injured. ''

The struggle continued until Mr Wright had restrained Campbell until police arrived at the scene.

Mr McDonagh told poilce he noticed Campbell had a hood up wearing a "grey balaclava over his face''. He heard Mr Wright telling the accused to calm down and he was not getting any drugs.

The accused told him 'Right' and then stabbed him in the chest, before stating: "Give me the drugs or I'm going to hurt you'' and then lunged at Mr McDonagh, cutting him to his right hand as he tried to defend himself. During the ensuing struggle, he sustained further stab wounds to his arm and groin area. 

"The photographs of the scene display the disarray caused by what must have been a significant and prolonged fight''.

At the scene, police recovered the mobile phone stolen at knifepoint from the woman in Beechmount AVenue hours earlier.

Campbell was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital for treatement where he "became aggressive to police, assaulted a constable in the torso and tried to bite his hands. He was abusive to police and racially abusive to staff''.

Defence QC Richard Green told the court that Campbell had been abusing drugs since the age of 14 and had a history of mental health illness and later started abusing alcohol

The judge was told that as a result of these incidents in April last year, Campbell's father and brother "only communicate to him through who his mother who visits him in prison''.

Added Mr Greene: "I told his mother what in my view were the range of sentences her son faced. She told me: 'Whatever sentence is passed he deserves it'.''

Passing sentence today (Friday), Judge Miller accepted an assessment by the risk management team of the Probation Service who concluded that Campbell did not pose a danger to the public in the future.

"There can be no doubt that by the time these offences were commited the defendant's life had spiralled out of control. He had left his call centre job in December 2016 and no longer able to fund his drug addiction.

"The defendant is a big man, being 6ft 2''. He was sturdily built and he would, therefore, have posed a threatening presence event without a knife, particulary to his female victims. 

"The subsequent attempted robbery of the pharmacy raised the bar to the most serious of levels. He was masked and he had armed himself with a knife which he used not only to threaten but to actually inflict serious injury upon Mr McDonagh and Mr Wright.''

The judge said that despite their own injuries, Mr Wright and Mr McDonagh "chose to tackle and successfully restrain the defendant until police arrived''.

Judge Miller said the victim impact statements on the pharmacy staff showed "the impact upon them both physically and mentally'' and how the incident still impacts on their lives. 

"I note that the defendant expresses shame for his actions and the physical and pyschological harm occasioned to the various victims.

"He acknowledges that he could as easily have caused a fatality, something that is only too evident given that the primary injury to Mr Wright involved a wound in the vicinty of the heart.''

As well as receiving 12 years for attempted robbery of the pharmacy, Campbell was handed current sentences totalling 32 years and eight months for robbery, attempted robbery, wounding, possessing a knife and assault on police.