Acton Hotel Robbery - Men Jailed | ||||
Gang of four convicted of violent robberies
Four men have been jailed to a total of 28 and a half years today for two violent robberies including the Travelodge hotel in Western Avenue, Acton. The team was Anthony Roberts, 27, (pictured) and Sean Murphy, 30, both of Maida Hill, Patrick O'Brien, (pictured) 21, of Tottenham, and Peter Meredith, 35, of Radlett. Masked and hooded, Roberts and O'Brien stormed into the Travelodge at 7.30pm on Saturday, January 22, demanding staff open the safe and threatening to shoot. One member of staff was held up at knife point during the ordeal. The pair escaped in a stolen Audi A4 with a large quantity of cash and a mobile phone. On March 2, joined by Murphy and Meredith, they attacked a woman in her 50s stealing her diamond earrings and watch before making off with her handbag in two getaway cars. But they were pulled over by police and caught red-handed. All four were arrested on the scene. Detective Constable Dan Mitchell, of the Metropolitan Police Service's Flying Squad at Barnes, said: "These were frightening experiences for the victims in both incidents. The weight of evidence gathered by the Flying Squad and presented against the defendants at court resulted in them pleading guilty. "This demonstrates that Anthony Roberts in particular, who thought that there was some kind of kudos in commercial robbery is in fact no more than a street robber who has shown himself willing to attack on a women in her 50's as she made her way into her own home. The sentences given to him, and his associates, reflects this. "The Flying Squad is determined and committed in identifying and bringing to justice those criminals that are responsible for these types of crimes." In June, Roberts, O'Brien, Murphy and Meredith pleaded guilty to the robbery in Radlett. Roberts and O'Brien pleaded guilty to the Travelodge robbery in August. Anthony Roberts, 27 (17.07.84) of Bruckner Street, W10 was jailed for eight years for the two robberies. Patrick O'Brien, 21 (17.01.90) of Archway Road, N19 was jailed for eight years eight years for the two robberies. Sean Murphy, 30 (19.09.80) of Ilbert Street, W10 was jailed for six and a half years for the robbery in Radlett. Peter Meredith, 35 (01.04.76) of Rendlesham Avenue, Radlett was jailed for six years for the robbery in Radlett.
12th September 2011
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