Asda, Clapton Common in Stamford Hill, Hackney. Image: Google satellite.

A gang who carried out a violent raid at an ASDA store, pistol whipping an employee and stealing almost £80,000, have been jailed at the Old Bailey on Monday, 18th of May.

26 year old Fabian Campbell from Lewisham was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit robbery and concurrent sentences for other offences.

25 year old Hassan Hussyein, also from Lewisham, was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment for conspiracy to commit robbery and concurrent jail terms for other offences.

They were helped by 30 year old in-store baker Parminder Bharij, from Greenwich, who had been demoted from his previous role as a cashier.

Bharij was jailed for eight years for conspiracy to commit robbery.

He helped Campbell and Hussyein plan the robbery at the Clapton Common, Stoke Newington branch.

“Old Bailey entrance” by Tbmurray – Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

At half eleven at night  February the 4th 2014, Campbell, Hussyein and a third, unidentified person, parked at the back of the shop and went in through the rear staff entrance, to the loading bay.

Once inside, they attacked a 52-year-old employee, pushing him to the floor and holding a gun to his head.

They demanded that he take them to the shop office and, fearing for his life, he did as they asked.

While in the office, a 23 year old employee walked in on them.

The robbers grabbed him and demanded he open the safe in the cash room next door.

When he initially resisted, one of the men pistol-whipped him and sprayed CS gas into his eyes.

Once the victim opened the safe, one of the gang unloaded around £80,000 in cash into a hold-all while the others continued to assault the 23-year-old.

The gang tied up both men and made their escape through the building.

On their way out they encountered a 30-year-old male employee in the loading bay, whom they tied to a stock trolley before making their getaway in their car.

Police and London Ambulance Service (LAS) attended the scene.

LAS treated the victims for shock.

The 23-year-old was taken to a north London hospital with head injuries but discharged himself the following morning.

Detectives from the Flying Squad began an extensive investigation starting with a forensic examination of the cash room.

They found a small brown rag under the door in the cash room, DNA from which was found to belong to Campbell.

They also painstakingly searched through hours of CCTV from various buildings in the vicinity to capture the robbers’ journey in a VW Polo to the supermarket.

Following extensive police inquiries, the vehicle was found to belong to Hussyein.

The three men were found guilty by an Old Bailey jury.

Bharij was found not guilty of possession of an imitation handgun with intent to commit robbery.

Detective Constable Andy Terry, who led the investigation from the Flying Squad, said:

Today, men who were willing to carry out a violent robbery for their own personal gain have been put behind bars. Their actions terrified staff at the shop but I hope that knowing these men are now in prison will help the victims put the ordeal