Son, 20, who held up a corner shop with a POTATO PEELER for £180 so he could buy his mother a new dog in time for Christmas is jailed for three years

  • Connor McNally, from Withington, Manchester admitted to robbery in October
  •  He held corner shop staff up with a potato peeler in an attempt to steal £180
  •  He wanted to buy a new puppy for his mum after her old dog was put down
  •  He told locals who caught him to kick him as punishment before police arrived

By Kate Buck For Mailonline

Published: 05:02 EST, 20 December 2017 | Updated: 11:12 EST, 20 December 2017

Connor McNally has been jailed for three years after threatening corner shop staff with a potato peeler

Connor McNally has been jailed for three years after threatening corner shop staff with a potato peeler

A son who held corner shop staff with a potato peeler in a doomed attempt to steal £180 for a new dog has been jailed for three years. 

Connor McNally, 20, from Withington, Manchester, intended to buy his mother Maxine a new dog after she was left heartbroken when her bull terrier-type dog, Kenny, was put to sleep two weeks earlier. 

McNally burst into a corner shop wearing a face mask, hooded jumper and gloves and threatened the 'terrified' staff with a potato peeler in October.

After they handed him £180 from the till, the jobless youngster was caught by brave locals who kept him in a nearby butcher's shop until police arrived.

He admitted to committing the robbery and told his captors to kick him as punishment for his actions but they waited for police to arrive.

Inquiries revealed it was the second time in two years the Paradise Mini Market in Rusholme, Manchester had been robbed. 

The owner, Marym Hassan, was thankfully uninjured in the latest attack but had been left absolutely terrified'.

The court heard that Miss Hassan was still recovering from an earlier raid by a different attacker in 2015 when she terrorised at gunpoint.

McNally (left) wanted to buy his mother Maxine (right) a new dog for Christmas after her old dog was put down two weeks earlier
Maxine was left devastated at the death of her animal who had been bought as a source of 'comfort' when her husband was murdered in January 2010.

McNally (left) wanted to buy his mother Maxine (right) a new dog for Christmas after her old dog was put down two weeks earlier 

The owner was thankfully uninjured in the latest attack but was left 'absolutely terrified.' 

At Manchester Crown Court McNally, from the city's Withington district admitted robbery. 

McNally said that when he failed to get a job with the online retailer Amazon to buy her a new dog in the run up to the festive season he decided to carry out the robbery.  

In statements on Facebook in the days before he was locked up McNally said, 'Made a stupid mistake.

Kenny (pictured) the bull terrier-type was given to McNally's mother for 'comfort'  after her husband was murdered in January 2010

Kenny (pictured) the bull terrier-type was given to McNally's mother for 'comfort'  after her husband was murdered in January 2010

'I'm not a bad person I just wasn't thinking right.

'I'm gonna prove to my family and friends that I'm gonna be someone one day not gonna be bum the rest of my life.

'Thinking of you mum love you loads will be okay. See you in a couple of years.' 

After Kenny was put down, McNally failed to get a job with online retailer Amazon to pay for a new puppy so decided to commit the the robbery to get the funds

After Kenny was put down, McNally failed to get a job with online retailer Amazon to pay for a new puppy so decided to commit the the robbery to get the funds

His mum has been left devastated at the death of Kenny, who she had got as a source of 'comfort' after her husband, McNally's stepfather, Christopher Lynch, 36, was killed after being stabbed four times in January 2010.

McNally would have been 12-years-old when his stepfather was murdered in their home during a party.

Christopher Lynch was stabbed in the heart and lungs during a petty row about name calling following a party.

Kevin Flynn, 34, of Altrincham, was later found guilty of Christopher's murder and jailed for life with a minimum term of 13 years.  

McNally said in a post on Facebook, 'Made a stupid mistake. I'm not a bad person I just wasn't thinking right. Thinking of you mum love you loads will be okay. See you in a couple of years.'
After forcing the staff to hand over £180 he was caught by brave locals who held him in a butcher's shop. He told them to kick him as punishment but they waited for police to arrive

McNally said in a post on Facebook, 'Made a stupid mistake. I'm not a bad person I just wasn't thinking right. Thinking of you mum love you loads will be okay. See you in a couple of years.'

McNally's lawyer Toby Wilbraham told the hearing, 'Mr McNally's actions were completely unjustified but the background to this case is quite tragic.

'Prior to this offence he lived at home with his mother who has a long standing history of depression because of the murder of her husband. 

'He witnessed the lead up to this attack which was very disturbing for him and his mother.

'The two moved addresses and the family bought his mother a dog which was of some comfort to her. 

Christopher Lynch (pictured), McNally's stepfather was stabbed in the heart and lungs in January 2010 after a petty row following a name calling at a party. McNally would have been 12 when Mr Lynch was murdered

Christopher Lynch (pictured), McNally's stepfather was stabbed in the heart and lungs in January 2010 after a petty row following a name calling at a party. McNally would have been 12 when Mr Lynch was murdered

'But two weeks prior to this offence, the dog passed away. This was perhaps more significant to this family because of the background and she lapsed back into depression.

'Mr McNally was upset by the effect this was having on his mother. He wasn't working at the time and had tried to gain employment with Amazon but he did not get that job.

'He was discussing the situation with a friend of his and it seems that this was suggested and they committed this offence to get money for him to pay for a dog for his mother. 

'The fact that a potato peeler was used sums it up - this would be slightly farcical if it wasn't so serious.

'He is clearly a naive young man and he is genuinely remorseful. It clearly must have been a disturbing incident to watch someone be murdered in your own home.' 

Passing sentence Judge Michael Leeming told McNally, 'You took it upon yourself to raise cash to buy your mother a new dog and rob this shop. 

'But you did not give this a great deal of thought and foolishly and stupidly you decided to commit this offence.

'You had faced a disturbing incident as a child but you should think of the impact you had on your victim when you threatened her. 

'It would have been much like the impact that murder had on your mother.'  

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