Snared by a selfie Message helps track robber
AGANG of robbers have been jailed after they used their victim’s mobile phone to take a selfie of one of them brandishing a hunting knife.
Bradley Machin and two henchmen lured a pair of cannabis users to an isolated car park in Cheltenham and forced them to hand over all their belongings at knifepoint.
They had a grudge against one of the victims because they thought he had beaten up a 17-year-old friend six months earlier.
Machin threatened to cut his initials into the face of principal victim William Gibbs during the attack and used his stolen phone to take the taunting selfie.
He sent it on Snapchat to Mr Gibbs’s girlfriend.
He went on the run after the robbery and police issued a ‘selfie’ picture of him which led to him being traced in his home town in Preston.
Machin, aged 24, of Rayleigh Close, Churchdown, admitted two counts of robbery and possession of a knife and was jailed for three years and four months by Recorder Mr Jeremy Wright, sitting at Exeter Crown Court.
Charlie Hayhurst-ding, aged 19, of Duke Street, and Ryan Hartley-gretton, aged 24, of Park Place, both Chelten- ham, denied the two robberies but were found guilty at a trial at Gloucester Crown Court. Hayhurst-ding was jailed for two years and Hartley-gretton for three years.
The judge told them: “This was set up specifically for revenge. Hartleygretton phones Mr Gibbs, who thought he was a friend, and arranged to meet. He was led to an isolated car park and after some talking and smoking, Hayhurst-ding and Machin arrived.
“Their identities were partially concealed by hoodies and there followed the robbery. It started with threats not to move or they would be stabbed. Machin was holding a knife to Mr Gibbs’s throat and both men were required to hand over the contents of their pockets.
“Before he left, Machin threatened Mr Gibbs he would stab him if he ever saw him again.”
Grace Flynn, prosecuting, said the robbery took place at a car park at Monson Avenue, Cheltenham, on the night of February 13 this year.
Hartley-gretton met Mr Gibbs and second victim Dylan Bowden and took them to the car park where the other two turned up and carried out the robbery.
Machin forced Mr Gibbs to hand over property while Hayhurst-ding took items off Mr Bowden. They passed them to Hartley-gretton, who put them into Mr Gibbs’s stolen rucksack and fled, meeting up with the others later.
Gibbs was robbed of a Huawei phone, the rucksack, a Lacoste manbag and its contents. Mr Bowden handed over tobacco, filters, Rizla papers and two disposable lighters.
The phone was used to send the taunting Snapchat image and a message designed to make her think Mr Gibbs had been unfaithful to her.
Mr Gibbs and Mr Bowden both made victim impact statements saying they are now wary about going out in the centre of Cheltenham.
Nicholas Clough, for Machin, said he had moved to Gloucestershire after being released from a previous sentence and was living in a bail hostel when he met the other two men.
He was upset with Mr Gibbs because he believed he had given a 17-year-old friend ‘a hiding.’ His intention was to scare Mr Gibbs rather than harm him.
Daren Samat, for Hayhurst-ding, said he had a left school with ten GCSES and worked hard after attending a military college.
His role in the robberies was very limited and he did not realise Machin had a knife until he produced it.
Jason Coulter, for Hartley-gretton, said he had no idea that a robbery was planned. He walked away after the robbery and only met up with the other two again by chance.