Man mountain Martin Richardson ignored an armed robber's threats to shoot him and flattened him with a chair.
He then captured the bandit single handed.
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Martin Richardson – father of Leeds Rhinos start Ryan Bailey – was in the William Hill betting office in Burley, Leeds, when he looked down the barrel of robber Azar Sulman's pistol.
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Then amateur rugby player and former judo enthusiast blocked his escape before hitting him with the chair.
Now Mr Richardson is to be recommended for a courage award by police.
It was student Sulman's fourth raid on the betting chain and the third at that office. Sulman, 20, used a fake handgun to hold up the shops in a bid to fund his £200-a-week cannabis habit.
Mr Richardson, 38, was playing on fruit machines in the shop when Sulman, of Brudenell Road, Headingley, entered at closing time on January 28.
He forced cashier Dean Kay to hand over money but as he left was confronted by Mr Richardson.
After knocking him to the ground, Mr Richardson forced the gun out of his hand and sat on him until police arrived.
A judge yesterday said he had acted with "tremendous courage" after Mr
Richardson described how he thought he was going to be shot when Sulman pointed the gun at him when he blocked his path.
Sulman was sent to a young offenders' institution for six years yesterday after he admitted three charges of robbery and one of attempted robbery.
Leeds Crown Court heard that 41-year-old Patricia White was working on all three separate occasions when Sulman struck.
Mrs White said: "These were frightening attacks but I won't let people like that affect me or my job. If people come into William Hill in future they won't be getting any money. We are not there simply to be targeted to dole out money to drug dealers."
Paul Williams, for Sulman, pictured right, said he was from a loving family and had been a model student at Notre Dame college in Leeds until he became involved with drugs.
Mr Richardson described the drama of the final Sulman raid. "I stood back near the door. He was near a table and it looked like he was cocking the gun," said Mr Richardson.
"He wanted me to open the door and kept shouting he would shoot me if I did not open it. I looked him in the eyes...he was just a few feet from me. I thought ' I am not opening the door, if he shoots me he shoots me, but I am not opening the door'.
"Then I picked up the chair and smashed him twice with it. He went down and I managed to kick the gun out of his hand.
"I managed to get my legs around his body and held him there (for seven minutes) until the police came. I used to do judo and he could not move," said the father of three daughters and one son, who is heavily built. "I have to admit I was shaking when I was on the floor."
Judge Scott Wolstenholme awarded him £250 from the public purse for his public spirited actions.
