Jailed: Gang trio terrorised four men in Shrewsbury robbery
A gang of young men have been jailed after they burst into a room at a house in Shrewsbury and threatened the four men inside with a knife and a pole, demanding their money and phones before making off with a rucksack.
Three men, who were given custodial sentences totalling more than 10 years today, terrorised the victims at a house of multiple occupancy in Yew Tree Close, Shrewsbury on May 13 this year.
Jake Jones, 19, Callum Evans, 22, and Billy Hetherington, 23, have all been sentenced today for robbery and attempted robbery offences after they pleaded guilty earlier this year.
Jones, of Lowe Hill Road in Wem, was sentenced for three counts of robbery and one of attempted robbery, playing the lead role in threatening the men with a knife and demanding drugs, phones and money. He made off with two phones and headphones that were inside a rucksack that he snatched from one of the victims.
Evans, of The Crescent in Bomere Heath, and Hetherington, of York Street in Oswestry, pleaded guilty to one count each of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, affray and attempted robbery.
They accompanied Jones into the room on the night, Evans blocking the door and Hetherington wielding a pole.
Prosecutor Mr Christopher O'Gorman told Shrewsbury Crown Court today that at about 11pm on the night, one of the residents at Yew Tree Close was in his room with three friends when a knock came on the door.
Mr O'Gorman said: "Thinking nothing of it, [one of the men] answered the door and Jake Jones immediately burst into the room and started to shout 'Give me everything'."
Recognised
Jones was wielding a four-inch knife at waist height. All four of the men knew and recognised him, and one of them later said that he "didn't look quite right".
The other two defendants entered after Jones, with Evans blocking the door and Hetherington holding a metal pole.
At one point neighbours heard the commotion and came to the door, and the incident spilled onto the landing where Evans punched a victim in the mouth before Hetherington hit him with the pole.
The gang eventually made off with two phones and a rucksack, although Jones was earlier told by one of the others to "leave the phones".
As they were leaving, Jones again threatened to stab the men in the room.
The victims gave statements speaking of their shock and their fears of being stabbed. The resident of the room was evicted by the landlord as a result of the disturbance.
All three men were arrested a few days later and have been in custody since.
'Bravado'
Mr Raglan Ashton represented both Evans and Hetherington, and he said that neither were aware that Jones had a knife on the night.
Mr Ashton said that Evans experienced significant mental health issues stemming from earlier abuse and that he was not taking his medication at the time.
Hetherington, he said, was in a "very dark place" at the time of the robbery after a relationship ended.
Jones was represented by Mr Danny Smith, who said that he was a "drug-fuelled man acting with a lot of bravado" and that during his time in prison so far he has progressed with rehabilitation for his drug issues.
Judge Peter Barrie said that it was clear that Jones "took the lead" in deciding to go to the victim's home to rob him.
He sentenced Jones to five years and three months in a young offenders institution for robbery and attempted robbery.
Hetherington was sentenced to three years and nine months for his offences.
Evans received a sentence of three years and four months, reflecting the fact that he did not have a weapon unlike the other two men.
