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Shopkeeper chases knife attacker with Evening News



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Published Date: 30 July 2008
A SHOP manageress today told how she used copies of the Evening News to fend off a knifeman who tried a rob her.
Threatened by a knife-wielding drug addict, Karen Hume, 36, bravely defended herself with copies of the News which were sitting on the counter.

She made to hit 24-year-old Colin Mulholland with the papers before he ran out of the RS McColl store at the Sighthill Shopping Centre empty-handed. She then chased him along the street and was able to give police a good description which led to him being arrested nearby.

Mulholland, who had a previous conviction for a knife offence, appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday where he admitted the attempted robbery on June 24 this year.

Single mother Ms Hume, who has worked at the store for four years, and who has managed the shop for the past 18 months, today told how she was determined not to let Mulholland steal the day's takings when he came into the shop at about 3pm.

Ms Hume, of Stenhouse, said: "He picked up a sweet and when I asked him for the money he pulled the knife out.

"I know I should have given him the money but when I saw that knife something kicked in – instinct took over.

I had a pile of Evening News at the counter and I just swung them at him and ran him out of the shop.

"I don't know why I did it. I thought I'd pick them up to defend myself then just swung them at him."

Ms Hume contacted the police with a description and he was caught a short time later with a black-handled knife in a trouser pocket.

The court heard yesterday that when asked about the robbery by police, Mulholland, whose address was given as a prisoner in Saughton, said: "It all went pear-shaped and I left".

Sentence was deferred for background reports.


The full article contains 331 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 30 July 2008 3:17 PM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Knife culture
 
1

The Genuine Mario Antoinette,

30/07/2008 12:19:03
Seriously though.
2

Sarcasm,

30/07/2008 12:20:30
Did she use one with the dodgy picture of Marilyne MacLaren.

Mine is still above the fireplace, works a treat.
3

Sarcasm,

30/07/2008 12:23:04
"It all went pear-shaped and I left".

Good at origami as well I see, she should get on Britain's got talent.
4

The Genuine Mario Antoinette,

30/07/2008 12:31:06
Pear Shaped Sweetie Defender Smacks Smackhead , Tram Blues imprinted on forehead.
5

I love to eat Sellotape,

30/07/2008 12:32:50
Could this be the start of a "newspaper culture" that will sweep Sighthill?
6

Journalistic licence,

In the court 30/07/2008 12:34:10
"He picked up a sweet and when I asked him for the money he pulled the knife out. I know I should have given him the money but when I saw that knife something kicked in – instinct took over.

When it did the situation escalate from him nicking a sweet to robbing the money? Perhaps Ms Hume blacked out momentarily?
Anyway, chip wrappers, draught excluders and now jakey-battering. Good to see the EEN is still worth publishing.
7

Journalistic licence,

RS McColl, Sighthill 30/07/2008 12:36:19
Just as well the quick thinking EEN photographer was there to get a photo of the incident as it happened.
8

Sarcasm,

30/07/2008 12:46:34
Why do we need to know she's a single mum, what's the relevance to the story.

I want to know how far she managed to chase him.
He's lucky it isn't manslaughter.
9

JustcallmeDeb,

30/07/2008 12:48:11
#7 - I think the robber WAS the EEN photographer. lol
10

I love to eat Sellotape,

30/07/2008 12:53:44
7.

Don't be silly. Can't you see the image has been Photoshopped?
11

Victoria Ian,

30/07/2008 12:54:51
Only thing this rag is good for!!!
12

Journalistic licence,

RS McColl 30/07/2008 13:05:28
#10 I thought RS McColl was a papershop?
13

Rambo_the_Jambo,

Edinburgh 30/07/2008 13:16:44
What I want to know is, where can I get a giant sized copy of the EEN just like hers?

Would come in handy for keeping the wife and kids under control
14

Joe Smith.,

Moscow 30/07/2008 13:18:38

If that's Karen Hume's idea of a Millwall Brick, the raider must have been a bit of a runt.
15

Salvatori,

30/07/2008 13:22:43
13 It's not a giant copy of the EEN, she is just an incredibly small woman in a hobbit sized newsagents.
16

The Genuine Mario Antoinette,

30/07/2008 13:23:41
14 Thats what I was thinking. Next time karen , try slapping him with the Sunday Times , supplements , Cds and all.

Or if they dont sell those in Shighthill how about one of those bumper pron mag collections , shrink wrapped for a fiver ?
17

I love to eat Sellotape,

30/07/2008 13:25:16
What if Karen Hume had worked at a cuddly toy store? She would have had to hit him over the head with a velour hedgehog or something.
18

The Genuine Mario Antoinette,

30/07/2008 13:32:54
I hate to think what couldve happened if she worked in a shop that sold *nothing*.
19

Salvatori,

30/07/2008 13:35:10
What if she had worked in Timmy Mallet merchandise store? She would have had to nail him with a large inflatable hammer.
20

Rambo_the_Jambo,

Edinburgh 30/07/2008 13:36:33
# 15 Salvatori

Incredibly small?. With arms like that?

They are fatter than me!!
21

Florentine_Pogen,

30/07/2008 13:38:09
Is she really a hobbit ?
A hobbit who works in a chip shop ?
She's brandishing a giant economy sized poke o' chips wrapped in the Evening News.
Which is all that this "newspaper" is good for.
22

JTMM,

30/07/2008 13:39:11
On a serious note, as a resident of this area this incident does not come as a surprise to me. Every day the small shopping precinct is subjected to between 15-20 addicts hanging around whilst they receive and consume their meth supply from the local chemist. They intimidate the elderly and other less confident members of the public and it must be having an effect on business ! The police dont seem to want to know, they were moved on from Wester Hailes Shopping Centre but have the freedom to hang around this precinct because its not a shopping mall !
On a brighter note maybe we should give the elderly etc a copy of the EEN to scare off these junkies !!
23

Salvatori,

30/07/2008 13:40:41
22 - With a metal bar wrapped up inside it?
24

Koala Cubes,

30/07/2008 14:01:57
Wait 'til she does a stocktake! While she was "chasing" the junkie all of his mates were in the shop filling their pockets.
25

Angus R,

30/07/2008 14:02:40
What kind of sweet was it - a (s)nickers?

I'll get me coat.
26

Labradoodle,

30/07/2008 14:03:12
On a positive note, hopefully as North Sighthill is regenerated incidnets like this will become less frequent in the shopping centre. I suspect a lot of the junkies etc come from the council part of Sighthill. I know Broomview House is being demolished in Sept this year and that the process of rehousing residents in the other high rises (and low rises) has already started.
The down side is that these idiots will then be a problem in another area of the city.
27

I love to eat Sellotape,

30/07/2008 14:06:03
19.

I've never seen a Timmy Mallett Merchandise Store. Is there one in Edinburgh?
28

,

30/07/2008 14:48:07
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
29

ZipptJeffrey,

castle 30/07/2008 15:11:09
The Evening News, laying the Smackdown on the criminals!!
30

Keith J Bell,

Edinburgh 30/07/2008 15:29:01
#22 The local chemist in question is NOT the one in the centre, but the one located within Sighthill Health Centre, as they are only open Mon-Fri, so methadone users are given the Sat and Sun supplies to take away, meaning more opportunity for misuse. The fact that people are coming from as far away as Magdelene, Gilmerton, etc on a daily basis, passing several other chemists on the way, says it all
31

Seanobi Wan Kanobi,

Leith 30/07/2008 15:31:32
Whats mightier? The pen? The sword? Or the paper?!
32

Vandala,

30/07/2008 15:43:13
I much preferred the headline which is on the poster today for the Evening News that you see posted outside of shops around town. It was:

"Shopkeeper beats off attacker with Evening News".

And here's me thinking the paper had no practical use.

Tomorrow's headline: "Evening News - an effective sex toy".
33

Cynicaltalk,

30/07/2008 15:57:28
There's a picture and article of this chancer in todays Daily Record too.

Apparently she also fended off this crim with.......you guessed it, a copy of the Daily Record!
34

The Genuine Mario Antoinette,

30/07/2008 16:17:06
Evening News - even Better than Booze.

Inject it , you'll think twice.
35

I love to eat Sellotape,

30/07/2008 16:43:16
I'm taking a copy of the Evening News home tonight. There's a wasp in my kitchen that is going to feel the full force of my wrath.

Then I'm going to eat some jelly.
36

THE BPRENTICE,

30/07/2008 20:54:55
Who said that the evening news wasn't cutting edge?
37

JimmyC06,

30/07/2008 21:23:17
In my experience, the Evening news does make a good weapon. She could threaten them with paper cuts
38

A Friend of Fernando Poo,

30/07/2008 22:02:30
OK, I'm suspending my pro-gun campaign. Now I want every law-abiding citizen to have the right to concealed-carry the Evening News.

Let's take the war to the criminals.

 

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