Victims of bungling robber speak of their ordeal

A plucky motorist who fought with a would be carjacker has revealed it was his first day back at work after his honeymoon.
Patrick WardPatrick Ward
Patrick Ward

Newlywed Thomas Eldrington, 29, was getting into his Corsa near his home in Buckshaw Village when Patrick Ward tried to pull him from the vehicle.

The pair scuffled until neighbours hard the commotion.

Today he said: “It was my first day back at work after our honeymoon in Italy, and I was still half asleep.

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“A man dressed all in black opened my car door, pulled me out, and tried to steal my car.

“I was in shock and not really thinking what I was doing. I fought him off and managed to get my phone to call the police.

“It was an instinctive reaction of ‘that’s my car and you’re not having it.’

“ We got into a fist fight. He punched me while holding a pair of keys.”

Neighbours heard him shout for help and Ward ran away.

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Preston Crown Court heard during his crime spree on September 25 last year, Ward, 30, of Robin Hey, Leyland, had also attempted to rob a 24 hour garage at knifepoint, and a business premises in Buckshaw Village.

Victim Heather Swindlehurst, 19, said: “ My colleague went to see if he could help with anything and I heard him scream so I ran over to see what was going on and that’s when I saw the knife. My colleague managed to pull off his mask so we saw his face.

“We both ran toward the door, when I got outside the man followed me and was telling us to open the safe.

“ My colleague was so brave. I had a million things going though my mind, I did not want anyone getting hurt. It was horrible going though it, it just happened so fast.

Ward has been jailed for two and half years after admitting three attempted robberies and possessing a knife.