For life for murdering his sister with sword
ROGER HARRIOTT MUST SERVE AT LEAST 23 YEARS FOR ‘BRUTAL’ ATTACK
ROGER Harriott has been handed a life sentence and ordered to spend 23 years behind bars for the “brutal, vicious and merciless” murder of his sister, Sandra.
Harriott, 56, lay in wait for Sandra - a mother-of-two - to leave the home she shared with their elderly mother in Ripon Avenue, Huddersfield, on May 26 last year.
He then launched a bloodthirsty attack - caught on CCTV - using a 55cm Samurai sword kept in his car.
Prosecutor David Hall told Leeds Crown Court on Friday that Harriott left the hotel in Bradford he was staying at and drove to Ripon Avenue. At the time, he was the subject of a non-molestation order and bail conditions prohibiting him from going to Ripon Avenue and contacting his sister.
The court heard the order was put in following a series of violent incidents whereby Harriott verbally abused his sister, drove at her with his car and hit a wall with a machete next to her son’s head.
A report had also been made about 104 concerning transactions in relation to his mother’s account, flagged by the Office of Public
Guardian. This was then referred to the West Yorkshire Financial Exploitation Team.
Mr Hall said: “[On the day of the murder] When he arrived he initially stopped and waited at the junction at the end of Ripon Avenue before leaving and driving around and coming back. The Crown say it’s because he wanted to confront his sister outside his mother’s address and was waiting until he saw her.
“CCTV shows Sandra Harriott leaving the address, opening the boot of her car.”
Mr Hall said Harriott left his car holding a Samurai sword and ran towards her, while she attempted to flee. It was said he caught up with her and struck her in the face, causing her to fall to the floor before slashing her seven further times as Sandra attempted to defend herself.
Mr Hall added: “He then uses the sword forcibly to stab her twice to the body. She can be seen writhing on the ground and kicking out to defend herself.
“He turns towards his car before turning back and stabbing her once more in the chest with his sword. She then ceases moving. It was only then he turns and leaves.”
The attack took place just eight days after Harriott’s son, Jovani, was sentenced for the brutal murder of Khayri Mclean who was stabbed as
The murder was captured on CCTV. That footage is chilling Judge Robin Mairs
he walked home from school. It was said emergency services arrived at the scene at 7am - and just ten minutes later, Harriott handed himself in.
Attempts to resuscitate her at the scene and at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary proved futile and Sandra sadly lost her life.
Mr Hall said Harriott spoke with an officer over an intercom at the police station and said: “I’ve just killed someone, can you open the door and come and arrest me please .... ”
He told a police officer passing in the doorway: “I’ve just killed someone - my dad’s daughter in Ripon Avenue.” He then directed police to the sword in the front of his car, which was found with blood on it.
The court heard Harriott went on to plead guilty to murder at his Crown court appearance on May 30. Gerald Hendron told the court: “It is accepted he brought a weapon to the scene and had other weapons in the car and his intention wasn’t to seriously harm, but kill. He accepts this was done in breach of a non-molestation order designed to protect the deceased. Also, he was subject to police bail in relation to an allegation of fraud.
“He also concedes there was significant planning and pre-meditation.”
The court was told two references had been handed in - one from Harriott and Sandra’s father and another from an official in Gambia, where Harriott had spent time.
Mr Hendron said: “He did care for his mother for a number of years, living with her and dealing with finances on her behalf. One matter he is adamant about - he denies he ever acted dishonestly towards his mother and that is the only issue of contention he takes.
“The position was he had contacts in the Gambia, he had roots there and spent much of his time there.
“He had travelled home for a
friend’s funeral and he was made the subject of allegations he discovered when flying out to return. He was told he couldn’t and was to be arrested on the allegation of fraud and it was three weeks later he committed the offence.
“The defendant knows what he has done and has known from the outset he will be punished for many, many years and none of that will ever undo the harm he caused to those who were close to the deceased and those who knew her.”
As he handed Harriott a life sentence with a minimum term of 23 years, His Honour Judge Robin Mairs told him his sister’s life “was ended by you in a brutal, vicious and merciless attack outside her home.”
He said: “You were lying in wait for your sister to appear. The murder was captured on CCTV. That footage is chilling. When, at 7am, she leaves the address and opens the boot of her car, you leap from yours, clutching the Samurai sword.
“She flees...In the middle of the road, you strike her and she falls to the floor...You struck at her seven times, delivered with all of the force you could muster. Twice you stabbed her to the upper body.
“In the final incident, you turn to leave before then turning back and once more stabbing Ms Harriott again. This time, she is still and lifeless. Only when satisfied you had killed her, you leave.”
The judge said just weeks before the murder, in an interview, Harriott described his relationship with his sister as “toxic.”
Judge Mairs said the murder was “foreshadowed by a litany of abuse and threats.”
He added: “It was committed in broad daylight, in a public street. The attack was callous and determined.”