Jewellery raiders preyed on pensioner and his son

THREE MEN had been locked up for a total of more than 40 years over an armed attack on a pensioner and his son in their home to steal jewellery.

James Varey, 86, was struck with a claw hammer as one of the attackers threatened to cut his hand off unless he gave him rings from his fingers.

Son Francis, 51, was hit with an axe as the masked men took a gold chain worth £8,000 from around his neck.

The gang also stole a handbag which belonged to Mr Varey senior’s late wife Jane, containing 300 sentimental family photographs which were destroyed after being dumped near their home in Tingley, Leeds.

Gary O’Neil, Terence Honey and Paul Cameron were sentenced yesterday over the incident on January 20 this year.

Leeds Crown Court heard the men were caught after their getaway car crashed into the wall of a house in Beeston, Leeds, during a police chase.

O’Neil and Honey were also responsible for a robbery at the Kasa off-licence, Dewsbury Road, Leeds, on December 17 last year.

The pair and another unidentified man entered the store just before 7.30am carrying weapons including a sledge hammer, a wrench and a knife.

A member of staff was ordered to hand over £1,700 from a safe and a till.

O’Neil, 39 of Stratford Street, Beeston, was found guilty of aggravated burglary after a trial. He pleaded guilty to robbery. O’Neil was jailed for 15-and-a-half years. Terence Honey, 32, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and robbery.

He also admitting to an offence of possession of a mobile phone in prison. Honey was jailed for 14 years and three months.

Cameron, 38, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and was jailed for 10 years and 11 months.