Evil brothers given life for killing pensioners
ADETECTIVE has welcomed the life sentences given to two brothers after the deaths of two pensioners targeted in their own homes.
Det Chief Insp Dan Ison said the jail terms reflected the level of “planning, brutality and ruthlessness” of what travellers Amos and Jason Wilsher were prepared to put their victims through.
Amos Wilsher, 29, of Vicar Lane, Tibshelf, Derbyshire, was given two life sentences with a 38-year minimum term for the murders of pensioners Arthur ‘Bob’ Gumbley and Josephine Kaye.
Jason Wilsher, 23, of the same address as his brother, was also sentenced to life and will serve a minimum of 25 years after he was found guilty of the murder of Mr Gumbley following a retrial.
Both brothers were also found guilty of the grievous bodily harm – wounding with intent of Dennis Taylor in Derbyshire in November 2017 and conspiracy to rob. The family of Mr Gumbley said they “now had justice” after the sentences.
Mr Ison, of Staffordshire Police’s Major Investigations Department, said: “The sentences the Wilsher brothers have received are welcomed by the force and reflect the level of planning, brutality and ruthlessness of what the brothers were prepared to put their victims through to steal their belongings whilst in the safety of their own homes.
“Their targeting of the vulnerable and elderly across our region has now come to an end and following their incarceration, Staffordshire is undoubtedly now a safer place to live.
“I want to pay homage to both families and thank them for their ongoing bravery, their dignity and their patience in supporting the investigation in bringing the Wilshers
to justice. However, despite the sentences the Wilshers have received, it will not fill the gaps that both Bob and Josephine have left behind.
They were both well-loved and significant figures within their family and my heartfelt thoughts are with both families at this time.
“It would be remiss of me not to mention Dennis Taylor, a surviving victim at 86, who has shown incredible bravery and resilience by reliving his ordeal and giving evi- dence at the trial. His evi- dence was instrumental to securing the convictions.”
The brothers broke into Mr Gumbley’s house on Endwood Drive in Little Aston, near Sutton Coldfield, on November 21, 2017. When he went to investigate they subjected
him to a vicious assault inside his own home.
They assaulted him numerous times, dragged him through his house and ripped his watch from his wrist, tearing the fragile skin away from the back of his hand. They ransacked his house and took jewellery, antiques and money.
He was taken to hospital where he was treated for multiple injuries and from where he was able to tell the police what he could remember of what had happened. He died on December 21, 2017 as a result of the attack.
Four days later, the brothers drove to an isolated farmhouse in Cresswell, just north of Mansfield in Derbyshire. Wearing masks over their faces and gloves on their hands, they
forced their way into the home of Mr Taylor. They rang the doorbell and claimed to be police officers and assaulted him repeatedly. They made off with jewellery and £800 cash. Luckily, he survived despite significant injuries.
Then 88-year-old Mrs Kaye was brutally attacked and robbed in her home in Park Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, on February 27, 2020.
Amos Wilsher, wearing a mask and gloves, entered her home by ringing the doorbell, and when she answered he claimed to be a policeman and forced her inside.
He ripped her ‘lifeline’ security pendant from her wrist, repeatedly assaulted her and threatened her with a screwdriver. He made off with a large amount of cash, as well as a safe. Mrs Kaye was taken to hospital. She had suffered a broken leg, a fractured thigh bone, as well as significant bruising. She died on March 17 2020 as a result of the attack.