A 27-year-old man, Eksteen De Villiers, has been sentenced to five years in prison after attempting to rob a Forest of Dean shopkeeper at knifepoint. De Villiers, who has no fixed address, pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a bladed item in a public place during his appearance at Gloucester Crown Court.
The incident occurred on October 26, 2025, at a convenience store near Lydney. De Villiers entered the shop wearing a balaclava and brandishing a large knife, demanding money from the till. CCTV footage captured the shopkeeper courageously defending himself with a walking stick, warding off the attacker as De Villiers lunged toward him.
Despite De Villiers’ repeated demands, the shopkeeper did not surrender any money. The robber fled the store, grabbing two bottles of spirits before escaping. Police quickly identified De Villiers from the CCTV when his balaclava slipped off, leading to his arrest. Officers recovered the knife and stolen bottles, and a police dog handler later found clothing matching De Villiers' description discarded near the scene.
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Along with his prison sentence, De Villiers received a 10-year restraining order barring him from entering the area. In a victim impact statement read to the court, the shopkeeper shared the lasting trauma he endured. He described suffering panic attacks, insomnia, and nightmares in the aftermath, recounting the terror of facing the large knife and fearing for his life. “I truly thought I was going to die that day,” he said, adding that fighting off the attacker took every ounce of his strength.
Sergeant Nick Wheeler of the Forest of Dean Neighbourhood Policing team condemned the attack as “vicious and frightening” and emphasized the police commitment to protect the community from such crime. “We will not tolerate anyone who subjects our communities to this level of fear and intimidation,” Wheeler said. He encouraged De Villiers to reflect on his actions during his incarceration, hoping it offers some relief to the victim and local residents.