A CONVENIENCE store owner was praised for showing “conspicuous bravery” when confronted by a knife-wielding raider at the premises.

But a judge also referred to the plucky businessman’s “compassionate nature” for subsequently agreeing to meet the robber and wishing him well, despite his threatening actions during the crime.

Judge Christopher Prince was speaking as he imposed a 32-month sentence in a young offenders' institution on defendant Christopher Graham, who pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to attempted robbery, possessing a bladed article in public and threatening a member of the public with a knife.

Durham Crown Court heard that it related to Graham’s unsuccessful bid to carry out a robbery at the Premier convenience store in Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, on August 22.

Twenty-year-old Graham waited until there were no customers in the Front Street premises, before entering, at about 2.25pm, wearing a winter coat with a hood pulled up.

He went straight up to the counter, pointed the knife at the owner, swore at him and demanded money from the till.

Liam O’Brien, prosecuting, said not only did the shopkeeper refuse to hand over cash, he emerged from behind the sealed off counter and chased Graham from the premises.

Graham sought a hiding place in a garden, in nearby High Barnes, but when the householder asked what he was doing, he swore and threatened him, before climbing the fence to further make good his escape.

Mr O’Brien said Graham, of Third Avenue, Chester-le-Street, was later arrested and in three interviews with police made no comment.

But after his admissions to the crime at the first crown court appearance, last month, he agreed to meet the store keeper as part of the restorative justice scheme.

Mr O’Brien said the shop owner, while angry at what might have happened if one of his family members or female employees had been on duty at the time, had expressed a wish to meet the perpetrator.

“The restorative justice programme supervisor reported a ‘positive outcome’ for the victim, as a result of meeting the defendant,” added Mr O'Brien.

David Lamb, mitigating, said although there was a small element of planning, in that Graham armed himself with a knife, waited until the shop was empty of customers, and wore a hood pulled up, it was a, “relatively unsophisticated” crime.

Mr Lamb said the hood soon dropped down, giving a clear view of the defendant, who fled empty-handed.

Jailing Graham, Judge Prince said: “Not only was the store owner unwilling to hand over any money from the till, he then displayed conspicuous bravery, coming out from a place of safety and chasing you from the premises.

“In agreeing to meet you and wishing you well for the future, he clearly also has a very compassionate nature.”

On his release from custody Graham will also be subject of statutory surcharge and criminal courts’ costs charges totalling £1,020.