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Full Report
 | November 26, 1992 |
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A one man crime wave who left the career of a ¨ trainee accountant in tatters has been jailed for four and a half ¨ years by an Old Bailey judge. Mr Michael Timms, 20, needed psychiatric help after ¨ Andrew Carter, 19, tried to rob him at gunpoint. Carter confessed to the attempted robbery and to one ¨ burglary and four charges of theft. The teenager has also amassed convictions for several ¨ other burglaries, possessing drugs, driving whilst disqualified, ¨ assault, and handling stolen goods. Passing setence, Judge Henry Pownall, QC, said: 'What ¨ you did to Michael Timms was outrageous.' The court heard Mr Timms was taking a summer's evening ¨ stroll with his sister Laura in New Malden on August 21 this year ¨ when he stopped to talk to a group of teenagers. Carter was with them and he followed as Mr Timms and ¨ Laura walked away, said prosecutor Mr Ian Darling. He then approached Laura and asked her for a date, but ¨ she kept on walking. When the group arrived at an alleyway near South Lane, ¨ New Malden, Carter casually said: 'This is a nice quiet spot' ¨ - and pulled out a pistol. He demanded cash from Mr Timms, who bravely decided to ¨ 'take a chance' and grabbed hold of the barrel, said Mr Darling. Mr Timms shouted for help and two neighbours, Mr Leonard Dray, 42, and his brother-in-law ran into the alleyway. The victim fled as the two men tackled Carter to the ¨ ground and Laura picked up the gun, which was found to be a ¨ realistic-looking imitation. Carter's shoes came off in the struggle and he managed ¨ to escape when he was allowed to put them back on. Armed police sealed off the area and Carter, who had ¨ been hiding under a car, gave himself up later that night. He said he terrorised Mr Timms because he was drunk, ¨ but in reality Carter was a herion addict willing to do anything ¨ to get the drugs he craved. The court heard Mr Timms was showing great promise in ¨ his chosen career, but suffered a breakdown after the incident ¨ and spent two weeks in hospital. He has not worked since and 'his future is uncertain,' ¨ said Mr Darling. 'He is having difficulty keeping his job open. He is ¨ not confident enough to try and take up his career again.' On May 14 last year Carter grabbed three video tapes ¨ from Currys in Tolworth, which were later found at his home in ¨ School Lane, Surbiton. Eight days later the manager of Budgens in Ewell Road, ¨ Surbiton, chased Carter on his motorbike after he stole a pack ¨ of meat, but the thief got rid of the loot before he was caught. The following day Carter was caught with a rucksack ¨ stuffed with more meat he had stolen from Safeways in New Malden ¨ but was bailed by police. He then stole a computer and cash after breaking into a ¨ neighbour's home on June 10 and grabbed three pairs of underpants ¨ from British Home Stores in Surbiton on July 18. Carter was finally locked up after trying to rob Mr ¨ Timms a month later. Mr Charles Sherrard, defending, said Carter had been 'a ¨ drug addict from the age of 12' when he started using cannabis. He progressed to mind bending LSD at teenage raves, then ¨ to a pnds stlg 80 a day heroin habit. 'Carter was dictated to by this dreadful habit,' said ¨ counsel. Judge Pownall took into account Carter's guilty plea, but ¨ added: 'You put Mr Timms in hospital for a fortnight. 'Even today, three months later, it is uncertain whether ¨ he will be able to continue the career he has chosen.' The judge awared Mr Timms, Mr Dray and his brother-in-law ¨ pnds stlg 250 each, 'as a token to recognise their courage.' ENDS | |