by Keith Hunt

A masked robber who lashed out with a machete during a terrifying post office raid has been jailed for eight years.

Leon Beckles caused serious injury with the weapon to a student working at Kingsley post office in Maidstone during the failed attempt to steal takings.

Maidstone Crown Court heard postmaster Ketan Dixit was working in the shop in Waterloo Road with Johnny Bhattachan during the early evening of September 21 last year.

The only customer at the time was pensioner Shirley Simmons. "She saw most of what happened, though, mercifully, not the blow with the machete," said prosecutor Andrew Espley.

Beckles, 33, entered wearing a white top with the hood pulled up and a white cloth with eye holes cut out over his face. Brandishing the foot-long machete, he pushed Mr Bhattachan over and demanded money.

Mr Dixit intervened and was struck on the hands as he put them up to defend himself.

Mr Bhattachan left the post office and shut the door to stop Beckles escaping.

What he did then was to smash his way out of the shop," said Mr Espley.
Beckles tried to get the cash from the till but left with only Mr Bhattachan’s laptop computer.

Mr Dixit suffered cuts to his fingers and was treated by a plastic surgeon at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead.

Beckles, of Loose Road, Maidstone, admitted robbery, attempted robbery, assault with intent to rob and possessing an offensive weapon.