Two men will be sentenced this morning for the botched armed raid on a Ramsgate store in which an assistant was shot in the neck.

Brave Ibrahim Ahmedi fought off the attack by raiders armed with a BB gun and a taser – after refusing to hand over cash at International Foods in the high street.

Ryan Lee Diggens, 24, of Trove Court, and pal Aleksandra Saprykin 40, of Chapel Place, Ramsgate were found guilty of attempted robbery and two firearms charges. Both now face long prison sentences.

Judge Janet Brown told them after the jury's guilty verdicts: “These offences were all extremely serious because you were prepared to go armed to a robbery with as BB gun, which was discharged five or six times and a shopkeeper was injured.

“It must have been very frightening but fortunately he has made a good recovery.”

Prosecutor Peter Forbes said Mr Ahmedi had been taken to the QEQM and William Harvey Hospitals for treatment but "fortunately survived".

He said: “These two defendants attempted to rob Mr Ahmedi who was working alone behind the till at a convenience store on February 7 at 1.30pm

“Each was armed with what appeared to be a gun and Saprykin also had a taser.”

The prosecutor said the shopkeeper attempted to fight them off and was shot in the neck but survived and later identified his assailants.

The two were acquitted of a third firearms offence but will now be assessed by the probation service as to what danger they pose to the public.

Mr Forbes claimed the men came into the store and Mr Ahmedi recalled seeing a woman near the door.