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A man accused of holding up a shop with a BB gun claimed in court he was actually trying to sell the shopkeeper the gun.

It is alleged Alexander Saprykin, 40, and Ryan Diggins, 24, attempted to rob the International convenience store in Ramsgate High Street on February 7.

Ibrahim Ahmedi, a shopkeeper at the store, last week told Canterbury Crown Court Saprykin had come into his shop armed with the gun and a taser demanding money and repeatedly shot him, while another man wearing a mask stood behind.

He claimed he and Saprykin began scuffling, at which point the second man, Diggins, started attacking him.

Saprykin, of Chapel Place, and Diggins, of Trove Court, both deny attempted robbery.

The pair also deny possessing a taser, and two counts of possessing an imitation firearm.

It was heard in court yesterday (August 13) Saprykin claimed he was trying to sell the BB gun to Mr Ahmedi and a misunderstanding led to the incident.

Phil Rowley, defending, said: “There was no more evidence that this was a robbery than this was two men with a language barrier who had a grave misunderstanding.”

In a summary of the evidence, Judge Catherin Brown told the jury Diggins claimed to have seen Saprykin speaking with the shopkeeper and that the shopkeeper had grabbed Saprykin first.

Diggins accepted being at the shop with Saprykin, although claimed to be outside smoking while he was inside, and denied wearing a mask or bandana or being involved in any robbery.

Judge Brown explained Saprykin, who is originally from Lithuania, said he bought the BB gun from a shop in Ramsgate for his wife to defend herself with when they were living in an area he felt was unsafe.

He also claimed to be unaware the taser was illegal to own and did not regard it as a weapon.

“He said he went to the shop to try to sell the gun and the taser,” said Judge Brown.

“He said he held out his open hands and said ‘How much?’”

While Mr Ahmedi claimed the gun was fired five or six times, Saprykin denied firing it and claimed one shot may have fired when the gun fell to the floor from his hand.

Saprykin also denied fighting Mr Ahmedi or attempting to injure him.

The jury is to continue its deliberation tomorrow.