Men accused of trying to rob Ipswich shopkeeper cleared
Cloud Nine in Upper Orwell Street, Ipswich. Picture: ARCHANT - Credit: Archant
Two men accused of trying to rob an Ipswich shopkeeper have been cleared by a jury.
Before Ipswich Crown Court were Marco Maximo, 28, and Eduardo Fonseca, 36, who both denied attempting to rob Rodney Debenham at Cloud Nine in Upper Orwell Street in September 2015.
A jury acquitted both the men, who live in Bournemouth, after a five day trial.
Maximo admitted assaulting Mr Debenham and he will be sentenced on Tuesday.
Adjourning sentence, Recorder Rex Bryan described the assault on Mr Debenham as “disgraceful.”
The court heard that after entering the shop Maximo went to the back of the premises and grabbed Mr Debenham round the throat and kicked and punched him.
Fonseca had allegedly dragged Mr Debenham’s partner Sky Jennings up the stairs to an office.
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The incident ended when a customer came in and Mr Debenham called out to him to call the police.
The defendants claimed they came to Ipswich to speak to Mr Debenham after a friend’s daughter became unwell after taking synthetic cannabis she had allegedly purchased at Cloud Nine.
