Sayers’ sadness over TV star’s intruder woe
THUG’S CLAIM AS HE MADE STAB THREATS IN ROBBERY ATTEMPT
GEORDIE Shore fan Stephen Sayers says he was “saddened” to read an armed home raider used his name to threaten a star of the reality TV show.
Thug Ryan Larson left Sophie Kasaei terrified when he forced his way into her home demanding cash and threatening to stab her.
Larson claimed he was Stephen Sayers as he carried out the raid in South Shields.
After reading our story, Sayers himself – who had absolutely nothing to do with the attack – got in touch and said he was friends with many of the cast and would hate them to think he was any threat to them.
He said: “I am saddened to hear that this lad has used my name to threaten this poor lassie.
“I have watched Geordie Shore since it began and have become friends of many of the cast and I would hate to think that they thought that I would be of any threat to them.
“My criminal exploits are well known but I have retired to concentrate on my family.”
Larson posed as a delivery man with a cardboard box when he targeted Sophie’s home armed with a screwdriver two days after Christmas.
When her housekeeper answered the door, he pushed his way in before gripping the reality TV contestant by the arm, demanding access to a safe and making stab threats.
Newcastle Crown Court heard both women were left shocked and afraid by the ordeal, which ended when Sophie managed to break free from the intruder’s grip and run into the street shouting for help.
Drug addict Larson fled with a £300 Versace shirt but was traced after leaving the cardboard box behind – complete with his girlfriend’s address on it.
The 27-year-old, of Henderson Road, South Shields, was branded a high risk to the public and jailed for six years and seven months after admitting aggravated burglary and attempted robbery.
Sophie said in a victim statement read to the court: “I was extremely scared by what I saw. I thought he
might stab either of us to get money. I saw my life flash before my eyes. I’ve never felt like that in my entire life.”
Larson approached Sophie’s house in South Dene, South Shields on the afternoon of December 27 last year carrying a large cardboard box and wearing a hoodie.
He knocked on the front door. Housekeeper Alison McDonald answered it while Sophie came to the top of the stairs.
Prosecutor Jolyon Perks said: “He pushed his way into the address, pushing her back in the hallway shouting, ‘Give me the money, do you know who I am, Leon owes me money.’
“Leon is the brother of Miss Kasaei. He also lives at the address.”
Miss McDonald realised Larson was armed with a large screwdriver, which was in his left hand.
Mr Perks said: “Miss Kasaei ran down the stairs to help her housekeeper. The defendant demanded access to the safe which he said he believed was upstairs.
“Both complainants were at the bottom of the stairs trying to restrict access but both were clearly very afraid as he was brandishing a weapon.
“He pushed past Miss McDonald and Miss Kasaei as he made his way upstairs.
“He took hold of Miss Kasaei’s forearm, gripping it tightly and aggressively in a way which left her afterwards with bruising. He was still brandishing the screwdriver and shouting, ‘I’m going to stab you, get the safe, get the money.’ “They continued to fight against him to try to stop him gaining access. “Miss Kasaei managed to break free and ran past him into the street and began to shout for somebody to help them.” Sentencing Larson, Judge Robert Adams said: “You said apparently you were Stephen Sayers and that there was a car outside full of people.” Jane Foley, defending, said: “There is one single piece of mitigation I can realistically advance, which is his guilty plea. “Mr Larson has struggled with drug addiction since he was 13, he is 27 now and had still not learned his lesson. “He had accrued a significant amount of debt because of his addiction to drugs. It was because of the debt he couldn’t pay that he offended. “He owed £5,000 to a man who told him he was to commit this offence and steal money so his debt could be written off. “It was the same man that had stabbed him and injured him to his head, resulting in him being put on life support and having his spleen removed. The man told him if he did this he would write off the debt and would not be injured. “The defendant is a rather sad individual, struggling with depression and anxiety.”