Preston man Louis Rooney jailed after threatening delivery driver with 'spike' and throwing a firework in DHL vehicle

A bullying thug hurled a lit firework into a DHL driver's vehicle - then brandished a metal weapon - as the frightened worker made a delivery to a Preston store.
Nisa, Village Green LaneNisa, Village Green Lane
Nisa, Village Green Lane

Victim Greg Szymanski, 38, was delivering pallets of stock to Nisa on Village Green Lane, Ingol, when Louis Rooney and a boy in a school uniform approached his van, causing him to fear they would steal from the vehicle.

When he challenged Rooney, 20, of no fixed abode, he replied: "What are you gonna do about it?"

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Ina victim impact statement the driver said: "Noone has the right to make me feel like that, and noone has the right to steal from my delivery van."

Nisa, Village Green LaneNisa, Village Green Lane
Nisa, Village Green Lane

The court was obliged to imposed minimum six month jail term under statutory guidelines, due to a previous knife related conviction.

Preston' Sessions House Court heard he became aggressive towards the driver as the incident unfolded at around 9am on November 1.

Rooney was sent to a young offender’s institution for nine months after pleading guilty to affray and possessing a weapon.

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David Clarke, prosecuting, said: " Because of his actions he suspected the defendant was about to try to steal something.

"There was then a challenge. Further to that, he saw the defendant had his hand in his trousers and heard the word: 'knife.'

"Fortunately he noticed a binman was watching and pointed this out and the defendant left.

"He carried on doing his job and took pallets in the store. He came back out and noticed the defendant approaching him very quickly and he saw the defendant light a firework and throw it in the back of his lorry and it produced a lot of smoke

"He was concerned for a moment there could be consequences.

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"Perhaps more significantly the defendant then pulled something from his trousers, described as a long silver 2.5ft long spike.

"It was held up in an aggressive manner and in fear he ran into the store and asked staff to call the police. he was genuinely concerned the man was out to stab him."

Recorder Tom Gilbart said: " This man was doing his job on a public street in the daytime. He deserves to do that without being confronted by you behaving like a thug."