Final Member Of Midlands Robbery Gang Jailed

Jason MurrayThe final member of a gang which plotted a string of robberies across the Midlands has been jailed.

Jason Murray was ordered to serve a minimum of nine years by Judge John Cavell sitting at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday 22 December.

On Friday 16 December, Alan Field, aged 50, of Windermere House, Vincent Drive, Birmingham, was given 20 years and 8 months for conspiracy to burgle a property at Fiery Hill Road, Barnt Green, in August, 2007 and a further charge of conspiracy to commit robbery at that property and two other homes in Hampton Lane, Solihull; and Raikes Lane, Lichfield, Staffordshire, in April and May 2010. Field pleaded guilty to these offences during the trial and will therefore serve at least 10 years and 4 months of his sentence.

Marc Deganis, aged 45, formerly of Quinton, and Andrew Hawthorne, aged 37, of Blandford Road, Quinton, were each given 3 year terms for their part in the conspiracy to burgle the Fiery Hill Road property.

Aiden Maund, aged 20, of Bridgeburn Road, Craig Clarke, aged 30, of Farnham Road,  Karl Gallagher, aged 23, of Newcombe Road, and Kieran Murray, aged 27 of Willow Drive, all Birmingham, were jailed for conspiracy to commit three robberies at the homes in Fiery Hill Road, Barnt Green; Hampton Lane, Solihull; and Raikes Lane, Lichfield, Staffordshire.

Maund and Clarke both admitted the charge during the trial. Maund was given a sentence of 16 years of which he must serve at least 8 years and Clarke was given 17 years of which he must serve a minimum of 8 years 6 months.

Karl Gallagher and Kieran Murray did not admit the charge and were found guilty in September 2011, after a seven-week trial. Gallagher received 16 years and Kieran Murray 18 years - both will serve at least half of those sentences.

Jason Murray, aged 29, of Victoria Road, Stirchley, Birmingham, was also found guilty at the same trial in September after denying the charge against him. He was given an indeterminate sentence at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday, 20 December, and will serve a minimum of nine years. 

Jayne Morrison, aged 32, of Antrobus Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, was given a 3 year sentence for the handling offence.

The first of the offences took place on 7 August, 2007, when Deganis, posing as a police officer, and Field as a Customs and Excise official, talked their way into the home of a couple in Fiery Hill Drive, saying they were looking for illegal guns.

There was a robbery at the same property on April 26, 2010, when several men forced their way in and tied up the couple before escaping with 15 firearms including shotguns.

On May 8, 2010, there was a robbery at Hampton Lane, Solihull, during which a couple were attacked and tied up, and one was forced to hand over £400.

A week later (15 May) another couple were attacked in their home in Raikes Lane, Lichfield, when several men armed with knives forced their way in, tied them up, and then stole three cars, cash, jewellery and Spode pottery. 

Issued: Thursday 22 December 2011