Superstore hero tackled machete-wielding maniac (From The Northern Echo)

Superstore hero tackled machete-wielding maniac

8:00am Friday 10th February 2012 in Crime News By Gavin Engelbrecht

Tesco in Dragonville, Durham City

A SECURITY guard was hailed a hero last night for taking on a machete-wielding maniac as staff and customers ran for their lives.

Michael Britton grappled with drug user James Douglas, who had told a mental health nurse he wanted to kill before walking into the Tesco superstore armed with a machete and a sawn-off pool cue.

As he prowled the aisles during the early morning stand-off, Mr Britton shut the front doors of the store to keep him caged while waiting for the police to arrive. He then held on as the man banged on the window with his weapons trying to get out.

Seconds later – with the man still on the loose inside – Mr Britton re-entered the store and monitored his CCTV to ensure that people barricaded into offices and the storeroom were safe.

The incident at the store in Dragonville, Durham City, in the early hours of Wednesday, ended when police used a Taser to arrest the 30-year-old homeless man. He later claimed he had wanted to be arrested, because he had a drug debt of £10,000.

A Tesco spokesman said: “We are very proud of Michael and the way he handled the situation so calmly and bravely before the police arrived.”

Details of the drama emerged when Douglas appeared before Consett magistrates to plead guilty to a charge of affray and four offences of possessing dangerous weapons, including a machete, half a snooker cue, a knuckleduster and a sock containing two snooker balls.

Clare Irving, prosecuting, said Mr Britton was standing behind the customer services desk near the main entrance, shortly after 1am, when Douglas walked towards him holding a machete.

Ms Irving said: “He held the machete up and said ‘you f*****’ . The defendant leaned over the counter waving the machete, uttering threatening words. There was only three feet between them.

“Mr Britton grabbed the defendant’s wrist in an attempt to prevent him hitting him with the machete, but the defendant pulled away.

“Mr Britton then noticed he was carrying half a snooker cue in his left hand.”

As Douglas headed into the main part of the store, Mr Britton activated the panic button and contacted the duty manager, who put a call out ordering staff to evacuate the building.

Ms Irving said: “Most of the staff were evacuated outside the store. It is fair to say they were terrified.

“Some of them barricaded themselves into an office where they sought safety.”

With about 50 shoppers and staff outside, Mr Britton closed the front door to prevent Douglas from leaving. As Mr Britton held the door closed, Douglas banged on the window with his machete and pool cue.

Ms Irving said: “Seconds later, Mr Britton walked back into the store and continued to monitor the CCTV to make sure staff who had barricaded themselves in were safe.”

When police arrived, Douglas was traced to the pasta aisle. Officers approached, shouting: “Armed police – show yourself.”

Douglas was found lying face down on the floor with his arms folded beneath his chest. He refused to show his arms and, knowing he had weapons, police used a Taser restrain him.

Ms Irving said police established that Douglas was a heavy user of cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines and diazepam.

She said Douglas had told a mental health nurse that “he intended to kill someone but thoughts of his own son, and the sons and daughters of others, had stopped him from doing so”.

Ms Irving said: “He made the decision to get himself arrested, because he was in debt by £10,000 to drug dealers. He thought of going to Tesco because he believed he would get the fastest response there.”

Douglas collected the weapons from where he had hidden them in a nearby scrapyard, in case he needed them for protection against drug dealers.

He told police he had no intention of harming anyone with the machete, but understood why they had used a Taser on him, the court heard.

John Grierson, representing Douglas, said his client was a man of previous good character.

He said: “He armed himself because of his state of mind, not because he wanted to harm anybody.

“He simply wanted to emphasise his point to police and wanted to be arrested because of problems he faced in his life.”

Magistrates remanded Douglas in custody to be sentenced at Durham Crown Court on March 9.