Jury hears claims of vicious raid on travellers’ site

A gang of more than 20 masked men armed with guns and other weapons stormed a travellers’ site intent on stealing large sums of money, a court heard.

They terrorised families in caravans, including women and young babies, and one man was brutally attacked.

The gang had targeted Wheat Gratten Stable Yards in remote Forstal Road, near Lenham, on the night of April 26 last year.

“They tied up some of their victims with cable ties which had been brought ready prepared for this purpose,” prosecutor John O’Higgins told Maidstone Crown Court.

“Other residents alerted by the commotion sought to repel the attackers. Shots were heard, vehicles were rammed. The attackers fled into the night.”

Two alleged members of the gang, Kieon Barker, 22, and 29-year-old Vincent Stickings are on trial.

Mr O’Higgins told the jury of eight women and four men that seven men had already been convicted of conspiracy to rob in January. They were acquitted of possessing firearms.

Two others admitted the conspiracy charge. Two had managed to evade the police.

Mr O’Higgins said that as the attackers began to withdraw the emergency services were phoned by a woman whose husband had had a gun put in his face.

The police were soon on the scene and searched the area.

They found four cars that had been seriously damaged and abandoned in the road. An Audi TT was followed and the occupants were arrested.

“The four abandoned cars yielded a treasure trove of clues from which the police were able to identify the men involved,” said Mr O’Higgins.

Moses Smith, who lived in a caravan with Sarah-Jane Powell and their seven children, including newly born twins, was viciously beaten. He was struck on the head with a truncheon and gun, and several men set about him with a crowbar and baseball bat.

“He was kicked, beaten and stabbed in the arm and leg,” said Mr O’Higgins.

The caravan was searched and about £2,000 was stolen.

Barker, of Clonbrock Road, Stoke Newington, and Stickings, of Whinchat Road, Thamesmead, deny conspiracy to rob and carrying firearms or imitation firearms with intent to rob.

The trial continues.

‘Shots were heard, vehicles were rammed, the attackers fled’