NABBED ON THE PLANE
Raiders caught after £19k shopping spree in Dubai
ROBBERS who poured boiling water over a couple were arrested as they flew back from a £19,000 spree in Dubai.
Daniel Wallace, 33, and Kacey Adams, 34, described as “highly dangerous” and who used “gratuitous violence” were jailed for life.
TWO burglars who tortured an elderly couple by dousing them with boiling water have been jailed for life.
Daniel Wallace, 33, and Kacey Adams, 34, used cable ties to stop John Buswell, 66, and his wife Janis, 64, from escaping.
The men threatened to cut off John’s ear unless he revealed codes for safes containing more than £45,000.
They poured hot water from a kettle over them, leaving Janis fighting for life with burns to her face and body.
The pair were caught by DNA and nicked on the plane at Heathrow airport after a shopping trip to Dubai where they spent nearly £19,000 on designer gear – such as Gucci and Versace clothes and shoes – as well as electronic goods.
Judge Charles Gratwicke said Adams and Wallace used “gratuitous violence for no reason”, adding: “You left having ruined the lives of those two pensioners.”
John was watching TV and Janis was knitting clothes for her great-grandchild before last April’s two-hour raid.
Wallace, Adams and a third man yet to be identified tied John’s hands behind his back and demanded: “Where is your money?” He was then dragged into the front room and forced to watch Adams pouring a boiling kettle on his wife.
Prosecutor Tracy Ayling QC said: “Mr Buswell said he would give them the money and took them to a downstairs bathroom where there was a small safe, he thought contained £3,000 to £5,000.
“He was returned to the sitting room and was watching as Mrs Buswell had another full kettle of boiling water tipped over her by Adams. Mrs Buswell was screaming.”
The court heard John got so angry he broke free from his ties. He then took the raiders to a safe holding around £40,000.
They also stole gold watches, jewellery, premium bonds, foreign currency and car keys – but were undone by a simple mistake. John had pleaded for a drink of water and when he finished it Wallace smashed the cup against the wall.
Police traced his DNA from fragments, leading to his arrest a week later. The Buswells both suffer post-traumatic stress disorders and need counselling. Janis’s burns triggered catastrophic liver failure and John suffered burns to 10% of his body.
They have sold their bungalow in Halstead, Kent, and all the furniture.
In a statement Janis said: “I can’t leave the house by myself. I can’t help but think what about the one they didn’t get.
“The injuries have left me with permanent disfigurement and I’ve lost most of my hair. I was so proud of it. What these men did was barbaric. Were it not for the medical service I would have died.”
John added: “She constantly lives in fear, as do I, and I cannot be in a room with too many people close to me.”
Sentencing at Chelmsford crown court yesterday, Judge Gratwicke called their attackers “highly dangerous, ruthless professional criminals”. Adams, of Hainault, North East London, and Wallace, of no fixed address, each got three concurrent life sentences. Two, each with a minimum of seven-and-a-half years, were for aggravated burglary and causing grievous bodily harm with intent – which they both admitted.
Another, with a minimum of 12-and-a-half years, was for a drive-by shooting after being found guilty of conspiracy to murder following an earlier trial.
Getaway driver Drew Morris, 27, of Rayleigh, Essex, was jailed for four years, three months after admitting burglary.