CPS News Brief

Final defendants sentenced in Hatton Garden case

The final defendants have been sentenced today at Woolwich Crown Court in the Hatton Garden burglary case. Nine defendants have been sentenced to a total of more than 40 years imprisonment for their roles in the crime, which is described at the biggest burglary in English legal history.

The final sentences have been handed down less than a year after the crime was committed. However, this does not mark the end of the case as the CPS has initiated confiscation proceedings against all the defendants.

Chief Crown Prosecutor for London, Baljit Ubhey OBE, praised the work of the prosecution team. She said:

“The swift and successful outcomes of this case are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the prosecution team and I would like to thank them for all their efforts.

“We worked closely with the police to build a strong case which led to the four main ringleaders pleading guilty due to the overwhelming evidence against them.

“This crime involved a great deal of planning and organisation with the ultimate goal of depriving the customers of Hatton Garden of their property and no doubt living handsomely on the proceeds.

“It must not be forgotten that this burglary caused significant financial loss for many of the victims and for some had a devastating impact on their lives.”

 

Defendants, charges and sentences:

Pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit burglary:

John Kenneth Collins, 75

Seven years imprisonment

Daniel Jones, 60

Seven years imprisonment

Terrence Perkins, 67

Seven years imprisonment

Brian Reader, 76

Six years and three months imprisonment

Found guilty after trial

Carl Wood, 58

Conspiracy to commit burglary - Six years imprisonment

Conspiracy to conceal, convert or transfer criminal property - Six years imprisonment (concurrent)

William Lincoln, 50

Conspiracy to commit burglary - Seven years imprisonment

Conspiracy to conceal, convert or transfer criminal property - Seven years imprisonment (concurrent)

Hugh Doyle, 48

Concealing, converting or transferring criminal property - 21 months imprisonment suspended for two years

Pleaded guilty to one count of concealing, converting or transferring criminal property:

Terri Robinson, 36

18 months imprisonment suspended for two years, 200 hours unpaid work

Bren Walters, 44

18 months imprisonment suspended for two years, 200 hours unpaid work, 60 days activity requirement, three months curfew

 

Teenager convicted of the manslaughter of PC Dave Phillips

A teenager who killed a Merseyside police officer as he was escaping from the police following a burglary in a stolen car has been found guilty of manslaughter.

Senior Crown Prosecutor with Mersey-Cheshire Crown Prosecution Service, Helen Graves, said:

“Williams drove a stolen vehicle at dangerously high speeds through residential areas and then collided with a police officer who was simply doing his duty.

“His actions on that night have devastated the family of PC Phillips and robbed the police force of an upstanding and valuable member of the team.

“Williams has been found guilty of an extremely serious offence and he is now facing the prospect of jail.

“This has been a complex and difficult case and the Crown Prosecution Service would like to thank Merseyside Police for their help in bringing this case to court.

“The family of PC Phillips have behaved with tremendous dignity and courage throughout this trial, despite having to face the details of the last moments of their beloved husband, father, son and brother. Our thoughts remain with them at this very difficult time.”

Additional information:

Manchester Crown Court heard that Clayton Williams killed PC Dave Phillips after he drove into him with a Mitsubishi pick-up truck in Wallasey on 5 October 2015.

Williams, 19, of Wheatland Lane, Wallasey, had earlier broken into Oxton Estates estate agents with another man Philip Stuart, 30, of Mayfair Court Prenton.

They stole, amongst other things, the keys to the 4 x 4 vehicle which Williams then drove at high speeds for several miles across the Wirral with Stuart as a front seat passenger.

The court heard that Williams careered through red lights, drove on the wrong side of the road and down the wrong way of a one-way street. He was being pursued by two police cars as he approached Wallasey Dock Road where PC Dave Phillips, 34, placed a “stop stick” in the road.

If the defendant had driven over the device, the stop stick would have punctured the tyres and slowed the vehicle down. But, instead of driving over it, the defendant turned the truck and drove off the carriageway in the direction of PC Phillips.

The officer was struck by the front of the vehicle and was pronounced dead a short time later. Williams then drove away and began contacting others who then helped him to cover up his involvement in the tragedy.

Williams pleaded guilty to burglary, stealing the truck and driving it dangerously and admitted that he had been driving the truck when it collided with PC Phillips, causing his death.

The prosecution had argued that Williams was guilty of murder but the jury rejected that and found him guilty of manslaughter, by a majority of 10 to 2.

Phillip Stuart, 30, of Mayfair Court, Oxton, who was a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the incident has also appeared before the court for sentence.

Stuart had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to burglary and aggravated taking of a vehicle and was given a six year jail term - three and a half years for aggravated vehicle taking and two and a half years for the burglary. He has also been disqualified from driving for three years.

Three other people were also sentenced in connection with the case. They had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to conspiracy to assist an offender. They admitted burning and attempting to dispose of Clayton Williams’ clothing at a house in Wheatland Lane in Wallasey in the hours after the incident.

Georgia Clarke, 19, of Knowsley Road, Wallasey, was sentenced to 12 months detention, Michael Smith, 19, of Widmore Road, Gateacre was sentenced to two years detention and Dawn Cooper, 34, of Wheatland Lane, Wallasey to two years imprisonment.