Student fights off gun-toting thief on campus: Caught on CCTV

This is the moment a student was confronted by an armed robber on campus – and bravely fought him off.

CCTV footage of the incident shows a man brandishing a handgun set upon the 18-year-old student in front of University Place, at around 4am on Friday 29th November last year.

He shouted “Do you want to be shot?” at the student, and demanded the student hand over his mobile phone.

After a struggle which saw both men wrestle with the handgun, the student delivered a punch to the armed man, stunning him and allowing the student to run away.

The would-be robber, later revealed to be 42-year old “prolific and persistent offender” Jason Dunne, was then swarmed by University security guards a short distance up the road and later arrested by police.

The gun was later found to be an imitation firearm.

In a hearing for the incident earlier this month, Dunne was jailed for five years after admitting attempted robbery and having an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Detective Chief Inspector Colin Larkin, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “Dunne is a prolific and persistent offender who was in an area heavily populated with students in the early hours of the morning with the sole intention of committing a robbery.

“As the CCTV explicitly shows he was armed with a gun, a terrifying weapon that he used to threaten his victim.”

University security staff had first spotted Dunne riding a bicycle around campus on the night of the incident, and tracked his movements on CCTV after having their suspicions aroused.

The footage shows Dunne donning a balaclava before cycling around campus: he is pictured cycling up and down Oxford Road before leaving his bicycle at the junction of Oxford Road and Bridgeford Street.

As the student scuffled with his attacker, security called police and “scrambled to the location” before detaining Dunne.

Gary Rowe, Head of Security, said: “The CCTV footage clearly shows the bravery of our team and I am pleased that this dangerous individual is now off the streets as a result of their actions.

“The safety of our staff and students is always our priority and this incident demonstrates their dedication and professionalism.”

Detective Chief Inspector Larkin seconded the praise.

“Security staff at the university saw events unfolding and saw that he was armed with a gun. Despite this they have bravely and without consideration for their own safety set out to detain this man, which they did successfully,” he said.

“They could have had no idea that the gun was in fact an imitation and this makes their actions all the more impressive and worthy of recognition.

“I must also credit responding officers who were in the area within minutes and the investigation team who, working with the CPS, have ensured a dangerous criminal is off our streets.”