Three jailed for tying up mum and son in burglary
Criminals put family through terrifying ordeal that left son ‘plagued with fear’
THREE men have been jailed for carrying out a vicious burglary in Hillingdon which saw a mother and her son tied up in their home.
The men had worn high-visibility jackets when they forced their way into the home, in Breakspear Road, in a terrifying ordeal that left the victim shaken for months.
During the trio’s sentencing on Friday November 4, Isleworth Crown Court heard the victim slept with her bedroom light left on for months and said the crime is something she will never forget.
On January 22 this year, the three men drove to the house at around 1pm and forced their way into the victim’s home, the court was told.
Prosecuting barrister Tyrone Silcott said: “For months after the incident she kept her bedroom lights on every night due to fear.
“She was scared someone would come back for revenge because she reported them.
“When someone knocks the door she has issues opening the front door.
“She blames herself. If she hadn’t opened the door none of this would have happened.”
Daniel O’Brien, 30, of Webbs Road, Hayes, Roy Salisbury, 31, of no fixed abode, and Charles O’Leary, 30, of Hesa Road, Hayes, were all sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court during a hearing where their crime was described as ‘awful’ and ‘callous’.
O’Brien was sentenced to nine years in prison, Salisbury was jailed to nine years and four months and O’Leary was sentenced to eight years and eight months.
During his sentencing speech, Judge Curtis Raleigh said: “It’s quite clear this was a well prepared plan.
“You had the weapon, you had the cable ties. You were wearing high-vis jackets. You had a great deal of information about this place and about the people who were there. “This was a grave offence.” The judge also read from the son’s victim statement, saying “Her son said he was extremely agitated and anxious.
“[He is] plagued with a feeling of fear.”
The three men entered the house at around 1pm and once inside O’Brien pushed the woman into the lounge and bound her hands and ankles with cables ties.
“CCTV and the stills show at approximately 1.10pm the defendants walking to the home of the victims,” Mr Silcott said. “They had their hoods pulled up. They had on high-vis jackets and it was very difficult to see their faces. The victim heard the knock at the door. She could see two figures through the front door and thought it might be a parcel delivery.”
Salisbury and O’Leary went immediately to the first floor of the house after they forced their way into the home, where the victim’s son had left his room when he heard his mother scream.
The two offenders bound the son and demanded to know where cash and jewellery was kept.
Salisbury struck the son in the face with a weapon – a dumbbell the men had brought with them – and in the foot, causing a cut.
After the two men threatened to hurt the mother, her son told them where cash was kept.
One offender asked the son “Where is the safe? Where is the gold?” the court heard.
The whole ordeal lasted 15 to 20 minutes and the three offenders fled the house with more than £30,000 worth of cash and jewellery.
After the men had fled, the victim, still tied up, jumped to the front door to lock it and was able to call the police.
The court heard each of the three offenders had a history of previous convictions – Salisbury had been convicted 13 times for 28 offences, O’Brien 13 convictions for 19 offences, and O’Leary seven convictions for 12 offences.
Each of the three offenders pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary earlier this year.