CAZLEY:MUGGERS THREATENED TO KILL COMMUTERS IN TWO MONTH REIGN OF TERROR

Two armed muggers who threatened to kill commuters in a two month reign of terror have each been locked up for nine years.

Devante Cazley, 18, and Parvez Hussein, 22, wielded a 2ft machete and a fake sawn-off shotgun in the
‘campaign of street robberies’ carried out across a large area of north London.

They were part of a gang which targeted up to 14 smartly dressed professionals making their way home from railway stations, leaving them in fear of being ‘shot or hacked to death.’

Victims were forced to hand over iPods, iPhones, Blackberries, computer equipment and even bags of Christmas presents they had just bought, Blackfriars Crown Court heard.

They were also ordered to recite their PIN numbers so the muggers could raid their bank accounts after the attacks in Islington, Haringey and Hackney.

The robbers even ‘put the fear of God’ into victims by stealing their driving licences detailing their addresses, and warning: ‘We know where you live,’ if they did not give the correct PIN.

Some were told they would be bundled into a waiting van to the cashpoint.

The thugs were arrested earlier this year after police examined CCTV which showed them repeatedly withdrawing cash at an ATM in Stamford Hill, shortly after they had preyed on a victim.

Officers lay in wait at the same cashpoint and swooped on Hussein’s silver Rover which contained both the weapons as well as they had just property swiped from a victim in Oakfield Road, Finsbury Park.

They arrested Hussein, Cazley, and a 16 year old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons, on February 18.

Raids on their homes uncovered some of the stolen items, including a precious watch ripped from one victim’s wrist.

James Gordon, prosecuting, said: ‘This can only be described as a campaign of street robberies that took place in London at the end of last year and beginning of this year.

‘Lone males were targeted, often walking home from train stations in the evening hours.

‘The robberies were committed in the same fashion.

‘Their victims would be threatened with what can be described as overwhelming threat of force.

‘A machete and what they pretended was a shotgun were produced, often by two men, and items of property were demanded from they.

‘Threats were also made that the weapons would be used to lethal effect.

‘PIN numbers were routinely demanded and cards often used at local ATMs where at least attempts were made to withdraw cash.

‘When one or two of the victims were frightened enough to give a false pin, the victims’ driving licence would be stolen and they would be threatened: ‘Give us the correct one because we have your address and we’ll come back to get it later.’

Cazley, who has previous convictions for robbery and attempted robbery, admitted preying on nine victims, while Hussein, who has a conviction for stabbing someone, confessed to involvement in seven attacks.

The 16-year-old, who has a clean previous record, admitted to one in which he jabbed victim Tom Fyffe with a the fake gun and told him: ‘I’ll blast you,’ if he did not comply.

The court was told they were part of a gang behind at least 14 robberies.

Cazley, of Gloucester Drive; Hussein, of Colthurst Crescent, both Finsbury Park, north London, and the 16-year-old, of Hackney, east London, each admitted conspiracy to rob between December 2010 and February this year.

Judge John Hillen told them: ‘Over a period of two months and over a wide area of north London, you and the criminal gang of which you were part committed robbery after robbery.

‘How many were in your group is not clear.

‘But the clue is you used the same method. It was a plan which a gang of robbers followed like a script.

‘The same weapons, the same words, same disguises used time after time.’

He said all the victims have suffered ‘profound and long-lasting’ effects, with many no longer wanting to live in London.

‘Victims and their families have moved away from the area, changed their work shifts, their routes home, they were constantly looking behind them,’ said the judge.

One victim, Richard Oldham, described being ‘absolutely terrified, scared and trembling’ during his ordeal.

The judge said: ‘He thought he was going to die, either by shooting or being hacked to death.’

Another, Mark Denjean, said: ‘It wasn’t late and that contributes to making me feel insecure and vulnerable any time of the day.

‘It was a humiliating and dehumanising experience.

‘I was treated like a piece of meat – they could take everything I had.

‘They came across as having a lot of experience in doing exactly that.’

The judge added: ‘The people of London deserve and sadly need protection from people like you.

‘They need to be able to walk the streets, to return from work or the pub or a restaurant without fear.

‘They need to be able to carry their cards and their personal possessions without fearing that they will be taken from them by force or threat of force from people like you who steal their hard-earned money.’

The judge concluded Hussein and Cazley were both dangerous offenders and sentenced them to nine years each in custody.

The 16-year-old, who has just passed eight GCSEs and was hoping to go on to do A levels, received a 24-month detention and training Order.

He was said to have showed ‘clear remorse and victim empathy’ and had been tearful when talking about the offences.

The teenager appeared distraught as he heard women relatives weeping in the public gallery.

Hussein’s hijab-clad mother wailed and flailed her arms as her son was led away.
ends