Sidney hailed a hero
Reporter: Court Reporter
Date published: 30 January 2009
A JUDGE has hailed brave Second World War veteran Sidney Bannister a hero after he single-handedly took on an armed robber in a betting shop.
The 83-year old grandfather grabbed burly gunman Henry Rockson (30) in a headlock at Coral in Lees.
But as grey-haired Sidney shouted to much younger punters: “Give us a lift,” he was stunned to be met by a wall of silence.
Instead, nine customers refused to move and looked on as Rockson twice beat Sidney over the head with a gun before fleeing.
The thug later carried out a further string of armed raids leaving victims traumatised. Retired HGV driver Sidney — who served with the Royal Artillery Corps during the Second World War — initially declined hospital treatment for a head wound but later agreed to have stitches.
Today, as Rockson was beginning a 12-year jail term, Sidney was being hailed a hero by a judge who said the plucky pensioner should be awarded £200 of public money for his great public spiritedness.
But widower Sidney, of Lees, said: “I just wish those other blokes could have done more to help me.
“If only one one of them had stepped in, we might have got the bugger there and then. Instead, he got away.
“I’m very grateful for what the judge said but I wasn’t being brave that day — I acted on human instinct which I would have hoped most men have.
“I had seen this man raise a gun at a woman and grab some money. I heard all the coins going on the floor and thought: ‘why should he be allowed to get away with it?’
“Maybe it’s a sign of the times that people don’t want to get involved these days.
“I’m not exactly in my prime but in my day we were brought up to have a go and not be a shrinking violet when we saw something happen that was wrong.
“I didn’t think about the gun or being shot — I was more concerned about getting the guy so he wouldn’t be allowed to do this again.
“There were nine other blokes in the shop and most of them were either half my age or younger. I just wish one of them had shown some gumption.
“I was shouting at the them to give me a lift as I held the guy but they just weren’t interested in helping. I was very surprised by their reaction.’’
Sidney was in his local Coral bookmakers placing a bet on the horses at 3.35pm on August 16, last year, when Rockson walked in armed with a ball bearing gun.
Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, was told Rockson went up to the counter pointed the gun at the cashier and demand she hand over the contents of the till. She initially handed over £250 but then tried to hand over £50 in change, spilling coins over the floor. Sidney turned round to see the coins falling to the floor and blocked the door to the bookies with a fire extinguisher.
Then as Rockson tried to brush past, Sidney grabbed him by the neck and got him in a headlock.
After a struggle he felt blood pouring down his head as Rockson hit him at least twice before he was forced to let go.
“During the struggle Mr Bannister asked others for help,” said Jamie Hamilton prosecuting. ‘’But no-one came to help him. What he did - especially for a man of 83 years old - took some courage.”
By the time police had caught up with Rockson in October last year he had carried out up to 17 raids at gunpoint over months on shops, newsagents and off licences across Greater Manchester and in Dulwich, south-east London.
He was arrested at the wheel of a stolen Vauxhall Astra.
It emerged Rockson of Peckham, London, had carried out raids in Flixton, Timperley, Sale, Urmston, Stretford, while visiting his girlfriend who lives in Droylsden.
He carried out the raids because gangsters had wrongly accused him of stealing a gun and they wanted £4,000 in cash from him.
The ball-bearing gun which he used in the raids was recovered and found to be incapable of firing.
Rockson admitted 20 offences including robbery attempted robbery having an imitation firearm with intent and handling stolen goods.
He asked for 13 other offences to considered. One victim told police: “I have nightmares about what happened and relive it day after day. It’s agony.”
The court heard he had a string of previous convictions including assault theft and burglary and had in 2002 been sent to jail for 54 months for a vicious carjacking at knifepoint.
Passing sentence, Judge Mushtaq Khokhar told Rockson: “The fact you used an imitation firearm during the commission of these robberies meant people would comply with your demands.
“These were very serious offences. Sidney Bannister showed great public spiritedness and deserves some money from public funds for what he did.’’
