A STUDENT has admitted robbing Huddersfield shopkeeper Gurmail Singh two days before he died.
The 17-year-old and an unknown male stole cigarettes from Mr Singh’s convenience shop on February 18.
Huddersfield Youth Court yesterday heard the student, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and another male entered Cowcliffe Convenience Stores wearing hoods and scarves across their faces.
The robbers made their way behind the counter and following a brief struggle with Mr Singh, grabbed a handful of cigarettes before running off, magistrates were told.
Mr Singh, 63, had been struck in the face during the struggle and had appeared ‘dishevelled and upset’ following the raid, the court heard.
Magistrates yesterday heard the 17-year-old had convictions for racially aggravated criminal damage, criminal damage and pretending to collect money for charity.
Releasing the A-level student from custody yesterday, bench chairwoman Margaret Sunderland said the 17-year-old would most likely be punished with a community order.
But Mrs Sunderland said: “We are not ruling out the possibility of sending you to a young offenders institute.”
Mitigating, solicitor Carl Kingsley said there was ‘no suggestion’ of a weapon being used in the robbery and Mr Singh was likely to have been hit by accident during the struggle.
He said: “This is not a high-risk defendant. There is no link between him and that (the death of Mr Singh two days later).”
The youth was bailed for sentencing at Huddersfield Youth Court on March 30.
Mr Singh suffered fatal injuries during a raid on his shop in the Cowcliffe area of Huddersfield on February 20.
Muawaz Khalid, 20, of Blackmoorfoot Road, Crosland Moor, and three other 17-year-olds who cannot be named for legal reasons, are charged with robbing and murdering Mr Singh on February 20.
The four will appear for a plea and case management hearing at Bradford Crown Court on June 18.
A provisional trial date has been set for August 31.
