Man jailed for terrifying balaclava-clad revenge raid - at the wrong house

Shrewsbury Crown Court was told that Alexander Woodburn, aged 34, of Rookery Park, Brierley Hill, disguised himself, bought weapons and recruited an accomplice before smashing his way through the patio door of the home in Highley, near Bridgnorth.

Judge Anthony Lowe heard that the terrified home-owner, a 65-year-old woman, had been threatened with violence by hammer-wielding Woodburn during the incident, which took place shortly after 9am on November 3 last year.

Woodburn made off with more than £9,000 in cash and jewellery – none of which has ever been recovered.

But, the court was told that Woodburn, who was found guilty of aggravated burglary at trial last month, had actually mistakenly targeted the wrong home.

Judge Lowe heard that he had employed a private investigator to track down people responsible for stealing from his girlfriend.

The investigator had given him an address – but it turned out to be the wrong home.

Prosecutor, Kevin Jones, read a statement from the victim, who described the chilling impact of the raid – saying she had suffered with panic attacks and would "never be the same again".

The court heard how the days and months after the incident have been "horrendous" with "daily flashbacks".

She said: "I can still see his eyes," adding that if she sees a person with similar eyes "I just panic".

Mr Jones said that she was now "too scared to be in this house", and that she plans to move to escape the trauma of her ordeal.

The court was also told that jewellery stolen in the raid had been of immense sentimental value, having been handed down from parents and grandparents.

Curtis Myrie, mitigating for Woodburn, said: "He did express an element of remorse in his interview and asked the police to apologise to the victim."

Sentencing Woodburn to eleven-and-a-half years in jail, Judge Lowe said the crime had involved "significant planning".

He said: "This all arose out of your grievance that someone had committed a fraud on your partner.

"In order to either punish those who had done it, or to get back what you believed was yours, either directly getting back what was stolen or items to the same value, you paid someone to effectively carry out a private investigation, finding out a name and address.

"Unfortunately, you have now known for some time, that information was completely false."

He added: "You co-opted a person to assist you. To be honest there was no obvious reason you needed to do that but I suspect it was because you were worried the persons inside may put up resistance."

He continued: "I can only imagine, the only description of this incident is it must have been terrifying.

"To be in your own home at nine in the morning and someone smashing their way into the property through a patio window in broad daylight, with an accomplice who goes upstairs, then to appear with a balaclava brandishing a hammer."

He added: "I can only believe that given the rural location of the property, the family will feel they have to move for her to ever feel safe again."

Woodburn had been arrested after being traced by the serious acquisitive crime team based at Shrewsbury Police Station.

He was found the next day, charged, and remanded to custody.

Detective Sergeant Ben Docherty, from the serious acquisitive crime team in Shrewsbury, praised the victim for her bravery throughout the investigation and the subsequent trial.

He said: "The actions of Woodburn were absolutely abhorrent and the level of threat of violence used against the victim who was in her own home was horrendous.

"Woodburn gave no thought to the lasting impact of his actions on the victim who like all members of the community should feel safe in their own homes.

"The serious acquisitive crime team based at Shrewsbury try tirelessly to bring these offenders to justice and the help the public provide cannot be under estimated.

"I welcome this significant sentence and hope this shows those in our community willing to commit these type of offences that the police and wider justice system will take immediate and robust action."