A PAIR OF BUNGLING TEENAGE ROBBERS WHO CARRIED OUT
A PAIR OF BUNGLING TEENAGE ROBBERS WHO CARRIED OUT A #1,400
WAGES SNATCH MADE THEIR ESCAPE – BY TUBE, A COURT HEARD.
AMATEUR ROBBER JASON O’BRIEN RECRUITED AN OLD SCHOOLFRIEND
TO HELP IN HIS MONEY MAKING SCHEME TO ROB HIS FORMER EMPLOYERS.
BUT THE DUO SOON LEARNT THAT IN THIS INSTANCE CRIME DOESN’T PAY
WHEN O’BRIEN WAS RECOGNISED BY HIS FORMER BOSS AND ARRESTED.
THE OLD BAILEY HEARD THAT O’BRIEN AND WILLIAM PRICE POUNCED AS
THE GARAGE MANAGER AND COMPANY SECRETARY OF O’BRIEN’S FORMER FIRM
RETURNED FROM THE BANK ON AUGUST 15 THIS YEAR.
O’BRIEN PULLED OUT A GUN AS THE TWO STAFF MEMBERS WALKED BACK
TOWARDS PARK BODY REPAIRS IN BATTLEBRIDGE ROAD, KINGS CROSS SAID MR
JOHN WIGGS PROSECUTING.
THE WOULD BE ROBBER TOLD THE BROTHER AND SISTER OF THE FAMILY
RUN FIRM, 38 YEAR OLD SECRETARY SANDRA PORTERFIELD AND MANAGER
TERRENCE HILL, 39: ‘GIVE ME THE MONEY OR I WILL BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF.
‘
O’BRIEN AND PRICE WERE BOTH CARRYING CRASH HELMETS TO MAKE IT
SEEM THEY WERE GOING TO ESCAPE ON A MOTOR BIKE.
BUT THE PAIR WHO HELPED THEMSELVES TO NEARLY #1,400 IN CASH
AND MRS PORTERFIELD’S CHEQUE BOOK AND BARCLAYCARD RAN OFF ON FOOT
HEADING FOR THE NEAREST TUBE.
IN THE DOCK O’BRIEN AND PRICE BOTH PLEADED GUILTY TO ROBBERY
AND POSSESSING AN IMITATION MAGNUM HAND GUN.
THE COURT HEARD THAT
WHEN POLICE OFFICERS CALLED AT O’BRIEN’S HOME IN WALTER WALK, BURNT
OAK, EDGWARE THEY FOUND THE TWO ROBBERS ASLEEP IN BED.
AT THE HOME OF 18 YEAR OLD PRICE IN HALE LANE, EDGWARE, THE
IMITATION GUN AND #520 IN CASH WERE FOUND.
DEFENCE COUNSEL MR AUSTEN ISSARD-DAVIES SAID THE OFFENCE WAS
‘TOTALLY OUT OF CHARACTER’ FOR PRICE.
JAILING THE PAIR JUDGE QUARREN EVANS SAID : ‘THESE ARE VERY
SERIOUS CHARGES.
YOU PLANNED THIS TOGETHER IN ADVANCE AND
CONSIDERABLE THOUGHT WENT INTO IT.
‘
PRICE, 18, A BARMAN OF PREVIOUS GOOD CHARACTER, WAS SENTENCED
TO 15 MONTHS YOUTH CUSTODY.
O’BRIEN, 18, A PANEL BEATER WHO HAD PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS FOR
DISHONESTY WAS SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS YOUTH CUSTODY.
ENDS
?EOM
