TWO dangerous and violent criminals who went on a spree of assaults and burglaries across Hillingdon, targeting elderly victims, have been locked up.
Jason McInerney, 21, and Wayne Connor, 20, both of no fixed address, stayed at a number of hotels in the borough, where they committed a number of assaults on fellow guests.
When the pair were arrested last August at the Sheraton Hotel in Colnbrook Bypass, West Drayton, they were found in possession of a number of knives and a baseball bat as well as tens of thousands of pounds.
One burglary in Ickenham was particularly savage. The 83-year-old victim was physically restrained by one of the pair, while the other went round and looted her possessions.
An ambulance was called following the terrifying ordeal, which occurred in broad daylight.
McInerney and Connor conned their way into the house by pretending to be from the gas board. Police described the burglary as 'disturbing' in its nature.
Just a day later the pair returned to Ickenham, raiding an empty house, before posing as police officers to con their way into the home of an 87-year-old woman and steal her belongings.
DS Kevin Lynott, who helped to bring the pair to justice, described them as 'callous' and 'predatory'. "I'd like to thank all the victims who came forward and assisted the investigation," he said, "despite the obvious trauma they have suffered."
McInerney and Connor had been staying in hotels around West Drayton and Heathrow, where they committed a number of serious assaults, befriending guests in the hotel bars before carrying out vicious unprovoked attacks, then fleeing to another hotel, where they had already checked in.
In addition to the offences committed around Hillingdon, the pair are wanted for other offences around the country, having travelled extensively in stolen high-value cars with false number plates.
Both men have previously escaped custody.
In March last year, McInerney fled from a crown court, where he had been standing trial for involvement in the shooting of a groom at a wedding.
Connor was on the run for several days in January after being being helped to escape while on the move from Feltham Young Offenders' Institution. His accomplices had been armed with guns.
At Woolwich Crown Court last Thursday, McInerney was sentenced to six and a half years imprisonment after pleading guilty to all the offences. Connor was sentenced to five and a half years.
