reacts to shock attack on Central England Co-op colleague in Shepshed
Posted by rob smyth | Published: 24/07/2020
A Leicestershire MP has condemned a brutal attack that left a Central England Co-op shopworker injured after a shock attack – all over the sale of an energy drink.
Jane Hunt, MP for Loughborough, spoke out after an innocent colleague at the Anson Road Food Store, in Shepshed, was pushed and hit in the head after a customer was asked for ID while trying to buy an energy drink and then attempting to leave the store with a drink without paying.
The attacker then brandished a wrench and shouted verbal threats at the colleague before leaving the store.
Thankfully, the colleague was not seriously injured and the store team are now supporting police with their investigation.
This incident comes just days after an innocent colleague was verbally abused, physically attacked and then robbed while he lay injured on the floor in an unprovoked attacked at the Markfield Food Store.
The parliamentarian praised the work of shopworkers, supported efforts for them to receive better protection and backed calls for the perpetrator to be brought to justice.
Mrs Hunt said: “I was very sorry to hear of the incident at Central England Co-op in Shepshed. Any abuse or violence directed at store staff is completely unacceptable and should not be tolerated in any circumstances. That is why I support the Co-op’s zero tolerance approach against this type of abhorrent behaviour.
“Staff in stores continue to operate despite extremely challenging circumstances and deserve nothing but praise. My best wishes go out to the store member involved and hope that the preparator is quickly brought to justice.”
This latest incident coincides with Central England Co-op campaigning for the Government to change legislation so shop workers are afforded greater protection in carrying out their duties.
It also moved to remind would-be criminals that it has a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to any kind of crime against its colleagues or customers.
Recent figures have seen assaults jump by 100%, threats and intimidation by 25% and verbal abuse by 175% since the start of the year, and since the lockdown was introduced, there have been over 100 incidents related directly to people using COVID-19 as a threat.
A Spokesperson for Leicestershire Police said: “Officers received a report of an assault at a store in Anson Road, Shepshed.
“The incident is reported to have happened at around 11.25am on Wednesday.
“It was reported a male youth had been challenged over his ID when buying a drink and had become verbally abusive to a man in the store. The youth was then reported to have hit the man before making threats with a weapon which was believed to be a wrench.
“The youth was reported to have then left the store.
“The victim of the incident, who is in his 30s, reported minor injuries.
“Enquiries are currently ongoing into this incident including CCTV checks.
“Anyone with any information should contact 101 quoting incident 20*376023.”
Notes to editors
About Central England Co-operative
Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK with interests in food, funeral, floral, travel and property investment.
Co-operatives have always been there for their communities; they were formed to protect them and help them flourish.
Our 7,900 colleagues who serve Members and customers work hard to ensure that co-operative values, principles and spirit flow through everything we do to help support and improve our local communities.
Owned by hundreds of thousands of Members, we have over 430 trading outlets across 16 counties including West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
We are proud of our reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility.
We invest a percentage of our trading profit into local communities through our Community Dividend Fund scheme, have donated over £1.3 million to our corporate charity partner Dementia UK and also operate a pioneering food redistribution partnership with FareShare Midlands so unsold food goes to those in need.
Visit www.centralengland.coop for more information or follow us on Facebook or Twitter using @mycoopfood
Press office contacts: Rob Smyth and James Brindle
Phone - 01543 421390
Email - publicrelations@centralengland.coop