Three Dursley men locked up for vicious attack on shopkeeper

Amo Singh, also known as Amandeep Cheema, 33, was beaten with crowbars, hit by a car and then run over outside his shop, Premier Stores in Queens Drive, Cashes Green after going to the aid of a 15-year-old boy who was being assaulted nearby.

Last week, the trio involved all admitted charges relating to the incident on March 26.

Stephen Randlesome, 19, and Benjamin Strange 21, both admitted charges of unlawfully wounding Mr Singh at Gloucester Crown Court on Wednesday.

Randlesome’s half-brother, Jonathan French-Bell, 27, also of Victoria Drive, Eastington, admitted affray and assaulting a 15-year-old boy causing actual bodily harm.

Randlesome was sentenced to 32 months in young offender institute, French-Bell to 12 months imprisonment and Strange was handed a 30-month prison sentence as well as being disqualified from driving for two years at Gloucester Crown Court today.

The court heard today how a drug debt was the trigger for the horrifying attack on a 15-year-old boy which led to the have-a-go hero shopkeeper being run over by a car.

The boy was dragged from a fish and chip shop and beaten up by members of a five-man gang who swept into Queens Drive, Cashes Green, in two cars on March 23.

Mr Singh, who knew the boy, saw what was happening and grabbed a baseball bat, said prosecutor Ian Fenny.

He then ran out into the street wielding the bat to try to rescue the boy - but was hit by one of the gang's cars and thrown onto the bonnet before landing unconscious in the street.

As he lay on the ground one of the gang ran up and kicked him, said Mr Fenny, who showed the court CCTV footage of the incident.

Mr Fenny told the court five men were involved in the attack but two had never been identified by police.

The gang arrived in two cars which pulled up near the Jolly Fryer at about 10pm on March 23 and the men all jumped out.

"They went there to extract money from a 15-year-old juvenile and their intent was clearly hostile," said Mr Fenny.

"At least one of them, Randlesome, was armed. The young man was dragged from the fish and chip shop where he had gone to try to get some degree of sanctuary.

"Randlesome head-butted him. The boy fell to the ground and he was attacked as he lay defenceless. The injuries the young man suffered were in the circumstances mercifully light.

"He had bruising and swelling to the upper body and minor injuries to his head.

"Mr Cheema then arrived on the scene. He knew the boy and was aware that the boy was being assaulted outside. Mr Cheema came out of his accommodation deliberately armed with a baseball bat and wielding it.

"It is his account that he was trying to protect the boy from further assault. He scattered the group. One of the group was struck by the bat but it is difficult to see how that could possibly justify what was to come next.

"The main focus of the group then became Mr Cheema. He was assaulted. Blows were exchanged. He was chased on foot, followed by the two cars.

"There is little doubt that Mr Strange's car then hit Mr Cheema because there is quite a shocking image on the CCTV of him being flipped onto the bonnet and then onto the ground.

"Strange says this was an act by him of extreme recklessness and that he did not intend to run Mr Cheema over and cause him injury.

"Mr Cheema was flipped onto the ground and was senseless.

"The second car, driven by Randlesome, pulled up behind. He got out and took a running kick at Mr Cheema, lying prostrate and defenceless on the ground.

"French-Bell accepts being part of a hostile group which went to extract money from the young man. He accepts his behaviour and physical presence that aided the conduct of the others."

Mr Cheema's injuries included a fractured left wrist, wounds to the head and thigh and other marks consistent with the attack, Mr Fenny said.

He told the court Randlesome had received a community order last year for possessing cannabis with intent to supply and possessing Ecstasy but had no other convictions.

Strange had convictions dating back to 2008 for assault, possessing cannabis, and having cocaine with intent to supply.

French-Bell's criminal record stretched back to 2003 and included two convictions for affray as well as wounding, burglary, theft, threatening behaviour and possessing drugs.

Tim Burrows, for Randlesome, said the incident was sparked by his client having a drug debt and being contacted on Facebook by the 15-year-old boy telling him to go to the shop and pay the £120 he owed.

Threats were made against Randlesome and his family if he did not pay, said Mr Burrows.

"He accepts that on this night his intention was to confront the complainant. He did not know that this young man was only 15 at the time.

"But he was then struck around the head with the baseball bat and received a nasty injury.”

Sarah Jenkins, for French-Bell, said: "He believed there was a debt to be settled. He was told there had been threats made against Mr Randlesome not only to him but to his mother. Plainly there was an expectation of trouble because threats of violence had been made by messages."

Jason Coulter, representing Strange, said "Getting involved was sheer stupidity on his part and I can assure you he bitterly regrets it.

"He was on the periphery of what happened and does not appear to have got involved. Randlesome handed him a crowbar at the scene but he had the good sense to put it in the car to prevent it being used.

"When the incident unfolded he simply panicked. He was horrified by the way it escalated. He then drove with extreme recklessness towards the scene.

"His intention was to try to extract Mr French-Bell from the melee rather than deliberately run down by Cheema. In felling Mr Cheema he also felled his friend Mr French-Bell who suffered a nasty leg injury.

"He then compounded his felony by running over the victim again.

"While on remand in prison he has completely detoxed from cannabis."

Judge Jamie Tabor QC said that it was only “by sheer good fortune that he is not facing a murder or manslaughter charge”.

He told the trio he accepted the incident happened as a result of Randlesome's drug debt.

"All three of you are well versed in the drug world and know that drug dealers rely on threats and the use of violence to ply their trade.

"If you incur a drug debt and don't pay you know what the likely consequences are likely to be. It is no mitigation whatever to say you were paying a visit because you were being threatened or a member of your family was being threatened.

"You all arrived with one thing in mind - to perpetrate violence or to support violence on a 15-year-old boy who was alone.  It was a very disquieting public order incident.

"It would have terrified any passer-by. This was gang-related violence at night in a public place."

He praised the police for the hard work involved in preparing the case and bringing the trio to justice.