Masked robbers jailed after killing man by pushing him under a lorry as he defended cash-and-carry

 
Guilty: Vidmantas Gorskoves, Aurimas Diliunas, Farhan Sheikh, Deibidas Sumskas, Reiniks Kivers, Edgaras Balezantis
Alexandra Rucki13 June 2014
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A gang of masked robbers who killed a businessman by pushing him under a lorry as he tried to protect his wife have been jailed for a total of 71 years.

Six men, aged 25 to 39, were handed the sentence for the manslaughter of Shammi Atwal and conspiracy to commit robbery at the Old Bailey today.

CCTV footage shows a lorry coming to a standstill as robbers are chased by staff members out of Glenn & Co in Barking, east London, on October 14 last year.

The Old Bailey heard the group of men parked up opposite the store in a black BMW X5 and waited for the security dogs to be taken for their daily walk at 9.20am.

Mr Atwal and his wife Mrs Damanjeet Kaur were inside the business when the six men stormed inside armed with weapons, including sledgehammers and metal bars.

A gang member grabbed the hair of a member of Mrs Kaur while a second grabbed her handbag containing £1,000.

The court heard chaotic scenes ensued when the other members of staff were alerted to the robbery and chased the men outside of the store.

Mr Atwal raced after the robbers and managed to grab hold of one of them, but as the pair fought he was pushed into the road in front of the path of an oncoming lorry. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

CCTV footage led to the identification of the black BMW which was owned by Farhan Sheikh, while forensic tests and more footage led to the arrest of the other men.

Edgaras Balezantis, 25, of Beckton , Deibidas Sumskas, 25, of Newham, Vidmantas Gorskoves, 26, of Newham, were all sentenced to 11 years and four months in prison.

Aurimas Diliunas, 27, of Ilford, was sentenced to 11 years and 8 months, while Sheikh, 39, also of Ilford, was sentenced to 13 years.

Reiniks Kivers, 28, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 13 years.

A statement on behalf of Mrs Kaur said: "Shammi was the most loving husband and father. Since that Monday I don’t know how to cope or live anymore.

"My life took a 360 degree turn. We have lost the children’s father, my husband and it is very hard for me and the children.

“This is something we will live with for the rest of our life and I will see my kids grow up without their dad and I am finding that very hard to cope with. There are no words to express how we are feeling - we are just living. We miss him all the time and always will".

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