“COWARDLY” men who robbed a lone woman in a Worcester shop have been jailed after she bravely fought back.

Damian Cowtan, 33, of no fixed abode and Ashley Evans, 26, of Holly Mount Road, Tolladine, Worcester admitted the robbery at St Paul’s News, St Paul’s Street, Worcester. Both were jailed at Worcester Crown Court yesterday.

Michael Conry, prosecuting, said the defendants came into the shop with their hoods up on April 24. Mrs Patel, running the shop, recognised Cowtan, holding a black bin liner and demanding cigarettes. He came behind the counter while Evans stood by the door, preventing customers from entering the shop.

He said: “She was in fear he would hurt her. She searched for the panic button but because of her panicked state she was unable to locate it.”

Mrs Patel looked for something to defend herself with and was shouting: “Stop it! I will call the police!”

Cowtan attempted to kick the till to open it and Mrs Patel pushed him to the side of his body with both hands, causing him to stumble and fall into a chair. In total they stole 15 packets of cigarettes worth around £150. Neither man produced a weapon during the raid.

In a victim personal statement Mrs Patel said she could no longer be alone in the shop and the opening hours of the shop had been reduced which had an impact on the business.

Mark Lister, for Cowtan, said the father-of-three had a problem with alcohol and the robbery had ‘the hallmark of being committed in drink’. He added that Cowtan may have ‘attachment disorder’ and asked him to give him credit for pleading guilty at the first opportunity.

Gary Harper, for Evans, described the robbery as ‘the mother of all mistakes’ and said his client had been snorting cocaine the night before and drinking ‘industrial quantities of alcohol’.

Judge Jim Tindal said: “The only appropriate way to describe what you did on that day is cowardly. There was only one person who showed bravery on that day and that was Mrs Patel.”

He jailed Evans for 32 months and Cowtan for 31 months.