THREE men went on trial over a violent robbery in which a 25-year old have-a-go hero narrowly escaped death after he was shot in the chest. Commuter Adam Mapleson was seriously hurt after he body checked a man attacking a security guard loading a cash

THREE men went on trial over a violent robbery in which a 25-year old have-a-go hero narrowly escaped death after he was shot in the chest.

Commuter Adam Mapleson was "seriously" hurt after he "body checked" a man attacking a security guard loading a cash machine outside Raleigh Station on May 25 2007 Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

It was alleged that earlier, three men, two from Dagenham and one from Canvey Island had agreed to carry out armed robberies in Essex and London over a period of two years.

One of them was a crime writer who wrote a book called The Art of Armed Robbery.

Brian Wall, 61, a painter and decorator of Elstow Road, Dagenham, Terence Smith, 49, of Point Road, Canvey Island, the author of the book on armed robbery, and Leonard Smith, 51, a bricklayer, of Dagmar Road, Dagenham, deny a string of charges.

Wall also denies the attempted murder of Mr Mapleson.

Opening the case, Patricia Lynch, QC, prosecuting, said: "On May 25, 2005, Adam Mapleson - a member of the public - saw a security guard looking distressed and saw a gunman with a security box running away and intervened."

"It was the morning rush hour with commuters around and he stepped in to body check an armed robber, knocking him to the ground - as the robber got up he shot Adam Mapleson.

"He shot him in the chest - it went upwards, missing a major artery miraculously, hitting a bone which knocked it away. Nevertheless, he suffered very severe injuries."

Referring to seven raids, Miss Lynch said: "There are a number of similar features as far as all these robberies are concerned, robbers armed with handguns netting thousands of pounds."

Prior to the conspiracy, said Miss Lynch, Wall was involved in a similar raid at Beckton involving delivery of �125,000 to a cash machine during which two shots were fired at the ground.

Wall denies armed robbery on February 2 2000, of �125,000 at Beckton and attempted murder of Mr Mapleson. All three deny conspiracy to rob between September 1 2006 and April 30 2008 and conspiracy to possess firearms to commit robbery.

The hearing, expected to last ten weeks, continues.