Unmasked: Shrewsbury burger thief who knocked shop worker out cold in 'violent and unprovoked' attack

Elliot Beckwith was jailed for 21 months after punching the worker in the Asda Express inside the Esso petrol station off Dobbies island in Shrewsbury as he stole burgers worth £8.54.

Beckwith, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court after pleading guilty to robbery and actual bodily harm for the incident that happened on Sunday, May 25 this year.

A West Mercia Police detective said he hopes the 28-year-old’s jail sentence “serves as a warning” to others willing to commit violent crimes.

Detective Constable Jordan Small said: "This was an unnecessary and unprovoked attack on a man simply doing his job. 

“I welcome the sentence by the courts showing that West Mercia Police will investigate violent offences swiftly and the courts will appropriately reprimand them, and I hope this serves as a warning for those in our communities willing to commit such violence."

Beckwith entered the petrol station at around 6pm, where took a number of food and drink items from the fridge.

He then tried to flee the scene, but a member of staff intervened.

Beckwith punched him in the face, causing the victim to fall unconscious. Beckwith then left the scene with two burgers.

CCTV of the footage was shown to the court.

Judge Trevor Meegan said the offence was illustrative of a "shoplifting epidemic" across the country, with people feeling they can walk into stores and take items with little risk.

Kevin Jones, prosecuting, said that an ambulance had been called to assist the victim but none were available, with police also unable to take him to hospital.

Colleagues took the man to hospital where it was revealed he had suffered cuts and bruising to his head and shoulders.

Danny Smith, mitigating, said: "There is no mitigation that can be advanced when you see footage like that where you have someone just doing their job, but what can be said for Mr Beckwith is this - he is far from what you have seen in the footage. 

Mr Smith told the court that Beckwith had been living in a tent at the time of the offence and had been invited to a barbecue, but only if he took food with him

He added that Beckwith had not eaten for two days when he stole the items.

He said: "Simply he lost control of it and the net effect of it was very serious offending.

"He has very much learned this is where you end up if you commit this type of offence.

Judge Meegan said: "Shoplifting is becoming very prevalent, in fact in some areas it is described as an epidemic where offenders act at will, entering shops, taking items with out any fear of being stopped, full well knowing company policies mean that employees are instructed not to stop shoplifters, simply allowing them to steal large amounts of goods.”

He added: "That is not what this worker did."

The judge warned Beckwith that in different circumstances he could be facing manslaughter charges.

He said: "You will understand Mr Beckwith as I am sure is not lost on you that one punch is something that can lead to a fatality when someone hits the floor - in which case I would be sentencing you for a different offence of manslaughter having killed him."