Christopher Blackburn threatens Woolworths guard with a knife
A Woolworths employee had to defend himself with a shopping basket when a man pulled out a knife and lunged at him multiple times. And it’s not the first time the offender has been caught carrying a knife.
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A knife-wielding man threatened to stab a Woolworths security guard before repeatedly lunging at the employee, who had to use a shopping basket to protect himself.
And it wasn’t the first or last time Christopher Blackburn has been known to carry a weapon, having previously been arrested with various knives, sharpened metal stakes and box cutters.
The 31-year-old fronted Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Friday, July 3, over multiple incidents, having spent 22 days behind bars.
The court heard he was “very close” to committing an armed robbery on January 6, when he asked for cigarettes at the counter at Metro Woolworths on Swanston St, in the CBD, about 9.45pm.
Blackburn snatched the packet from the staff member’s hand, before a security guard walked over.
He told the guard to “back off”, saying “Get out of my way or I’ll stab you,” and pulled a utility knife from his jacket pocket.
As seen on CCTV footage shown to the court, Blackburn then raised the knife and lunged at the guard about 10 times, while the guard dodged around holding a shopping basket in front of him.
Blackburn then ran from the store with the cigarettes.
Magistrate Stephen Ballek said the incident only avoided being classed as an armed robbery on the technicality that the cigarettes were taken before the weapon was revealed.
But he said it clear Blackburn was prepared to use a weapon to steal the cigarettes.
“It’s pretty serious,” he said.
Leading Senior Constable Matt Toohey said if the guard hadn’t been holding the basket it could have been a much more serious incident, pointing out the public risk of it occurring in a supermarket.
Police arrested Blackburn outside Flinders St station on January 21, with two whereabouts against his name, where they found him carrying a kitchen knife, box cutter, sharpened metal stake and two bottles of Johnny Walker.
He was then on bail when he stole $121.95 worth of liquor from Dan Murphy’s Mulgrave on February 12, a bottle of coke from 7-Eleven Swanston St on May 14 and a $169.95 jacket from Myer Northland on June 11.
The court heard after he stole Vodka, coke and pizza from Aldi St Kilda on May 24, police found a Stanley knife, saw blade, and even more stolen items on Blackburn.
His lawyer, Sophie Brooks-Miller, told the court Blackburn was homeless and abused alcohol.
She said his crimes were a de-escalation compared to his past offences, which involved assaulting police.
Mr Ballek noted Blackburn had multiple prior convictions for possessing controlled weapons, which he was facing again, saying it was a serious offence.
He sentenced Blackburn to two months’ jail, saying it would have been three if he hadn’t pleaded guilty.
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