Victim slept with the light on for months after burglars stole £30k of cash and jewellery in vicious Hillingdon ordeal

And that wraps up the blog

That wraps up the proceedings from today’s sentencing at Isleworth Crown Court.

To summarise Daniel O’Brien, 30, of Webb’s Road, Hayes, Hillingdon, Roy Salisbury, 31, of no fixed abode and Charles O’Leary, 30, of Hesa Road, Hayes , were all sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court during a hearing where their crime was described as “awful” and “callous”.

The victim of the terrifying burglary slept with her bedroom light on for months after three men tied her and her son up at the home in Hillingdon.

"This was a grave offence"

Summing up the judge called the offence “very grave indeed.”

O’Leary was jailed for eight years and eight months, Salisbury for nine years and four months, and O’Brien for nine years.

"Plagued with fear"

The judge also read from the son’s victim statement.

He said: “Her son said he was extremely agitated and anxious.

“[He is] plagued with a feeling of fear.”

"It's quite clear this was a well prepared plan."

During his sentencing speech, Judge Curtis-Raleigh said: “It’s quite clear this was a well prepared plan.

“You had the weapon, you had the cable ties. You were wearing high-vis jackets.

“You had a great deal of information about this place and about the people who were there.”

O'Brien struggled with alcohol and substance abuse

Daniel O’Brien has suffered with alcohol and substance abuse, according to his barrister Helen Valley.

Ms Valley said: “He had placed himself in a position in where he was in debt and that was his primary motivation for getting involved in these offences.

“He has been in custody for six and a half months. He has been involved in furthering his education.”

She added that O’Brien had sat English qualifications while in custody.

Salisbury's defence

Salisbury was represented by Mark Kimsey, who gave details to the court of a difficult upbringing and an ongoing drug problem.

Mr Kimsey said: “He’s had a somewhat difficult upbringing as a child.

“[He was] involved in drugs from 14.

“He left school without qualifications.”

Mr Kimsey added: “The issue here is there has been an underlying drug problem for many years.

“This is not a dangerous man. Mr Salisbury does show remorse.”

Salisbury also has an 11-year-old daughter who has been visiting him in custody, and Mr Kimsey said he is keen” to be a positive role figure” for her.

In defence of O'Leary

The defence barrister for each offender also gave detailed statements in their favour.

First up on behalf of O’Leary was Rachel Lane.
Ms Lane explained the O’Leary pleaded guilty at the first opportunity,he doesn’t have any previous burglary convictions and has completed courses and obtained a job while in custody.

She said: “Perhaps a different side presented to this defendant to the one we’ve heard about on this day in January this year.

“He’s desperate to be a better man.”

O'Brien's offences

Daniel O’Brien also had his previous convictions read out in the court.

Mr Silcott said he had a total of 13 convictions on his record for 19 offences, including drug offences and going equipped a burglary.

Salisbury's criminal history

The court heard next of the previous convictions of Roy Salisbury.

He has 13 conviction for a total of 28 offences dating back to 2002, according to Mr Silcott.

Salisbury has been convicted of a total of nine previous burglaries.

Each offender had previous convictions

The court heard of the previous convictions of each offender, as Mr Silcott listed O’Leary’s criminal record first.

O’Leary has seven previous convictions for 12 offences between 2008 and 2014.

These include a offences against the person and against property.

Victim was too scared to sleep with the lights off and blamed herself

The barrister for the prosecution, Tyrone Silcott,summarised the impact statement from the victim who said she was petrified when someone knocked on the door after the burglary.

Mr Silcott said: “For months after the incident she kept her bedroom lights on every night due to fear.

“She was scared someone would come back for revenge because she reported them.

“When someone knocks the door she has issues opening the front door.”

Mr Silcott added: “She blames herself. If she hadn’t opened the door none of this would have happened.”

The victim has also had security equipment installed at the home and has borrowed money from family to pay for this, including CCTV.

Part of the victim statement read out at the court said: “I felt safe [at home] and they’ve taken that away.

She added that every time she sees the corner of the lounge where she was bound she remembers that incident on January 22.

“This awful experience will be something I will never forget”, she said.

CCTV used

Police officers used CCTV images and were able to identify the getaway vehicle and tracked down the young mum who had unknowingly been implicated in the burglary.

The three men were subsequently arrested.

Still bound, victim locked the front door

Bound by her hands and ankles the woman, still downstairs was able to jump to the front door after the offenders had left, locked it from the inside.

She then jumped to the to the kitchen and was able to call the police.

By the time officers arrived at the scene in Breakspear Road the two victims had been unable to untie each other.

Police then set about enquiries.

Ordeal lasted 15 to 20 minutes

From the moment the offenders stepped through the front door the burglary took between 15 to 20 minutes.

They left quickly through the front door, and were seen getting in a nearby vehicle.

It was later revealed the getaway driver was a young mum, unwittingly dragged into the ordeal.

Salisbury said they would not leave until they 'got more' and threatened to hurt victim's mother

Mr Silcott added: “Salisbury then said ‘we aren’t leaving here until we get more or your mum is going to get hurt.’”

Eventually the son showed the offenders where cash was kept.

Salisbury hit the son in the face with a weapon

The son was placed at the top of the stairs, and O’Leary searched the bedrooms on the next floor up.

Salisbury stayed with the son, who according to Mr Silcott, said: “I don’t know why your here. We haven’t got anything. You’re stupid.”

At which point Salisbury struck the victim in the face with the end of a dumbbell the men had brought with them to the property, causing the son’s nose to bleed.

Salisbury then struck the victim in the bridge of his foot with the weapon, causing a cut.

Son heard his mother scream downstairs

The victim’s son, in his bedroom on the first floor, heard his mother scream and left he room where he was faced with two men, O’Leary and Salisbury.

Mr Silcott said the burglars bound his hands with cable ties.

One offender asked the son: “Where is the safe? Where is the gold?”

He responded saying he had no gold.

O'Brien appeared anxious as victim said she didn't have jewellery or jewellery

O’Brien was repeatedly asking the victim where the jewellery and money were kept in the house.

The victim said there wasn’t any jewellery or gold and O’Brien was anxious, as the two other men rushed upstairs.

Mr Silcott said O’Brien was pacing around and trying to hear what was going on upstairs.

O'Brien grabbed the victim and tied her up using cable ties

The three men forced their way into the house and Mr O’Brien grabbed the woman and pushed her into the lounge, according to Mr Silcott.

Speaking for the prosecution he added that Mr O’Brien said to the victim: “Stay quiet and you will not get hurt.”

O’Brien then tied her wrists and ankles using cable ties the three offenders brought with them into the house.

CCTV footage shows offenders with hoods up in high-vis jackets

Mr Silcott added: “CCTV and the stills show at approximately 1.10pm the the defendants walking to the home of the victims.

“They had their hoods pulled up. They had on high-vis jackets and it was very difficult to see their faces.”

“The victim heard the knock at the door. She could see two figures through the front door and thought it might be a parcel delivery.”

Offenders burst into the home in the middle of the afternoon

On returning to court Mr Silcott for the prosecution recounted the moment the three men burst their way into the home in the middle of the afternoon.

He said: “On January 22 2016, at approximately 1pm in the afternoon the victim and her son were at home in Breakspear Road and heard a knock on the front door.

“When she opened the door three men forced their way in.

“In order to steal jewellery and money”

Adjournment

At this point the court was temporarily adjourned while the judge dealt with another matter, much to the frustration of the defendants’ families in the court.

CCTV showed a reconnaissance visit the day before

Mr Silcott for the prosecution then recounted a reconnaissance mission carried out the day before the burglary where two of the offenders, O’Leary and Salisbury, drove to the house in the car of a woman who would later be unwittingly employed as a getaway driver.

Pleas entered early

First to speak in court was the barrister for the prosecution, Tyrone Silcott, who gave details of the dates each of the defendants pleaded to the burglary that happened on January 22 this year.

Mr Silcott said: “First to enter his plea was Mr O’Leary at the first opportunity, on May 3 2016 at this court.”

“Mr O’Brien didn’t plead guilty on that occasion. He pleaded guilty on July 12.

“Mr Salisbury on August 8.”

These early pleas were later taken into consideration by the judge and led to partially reduced sentences for each offender.

Three men sentenced

Three burglars were today in court to be sentenced after a vicious burglary in Hillingdon which saw a woman and her son tied up in their own homes.

Charles O’Leary, Roy Salisbury and Daniel O’Brien were all in the dock at Isleworth Crown Court, which heard how the trio raided the home in Breakspear Road earlier this year, traumatising the two victims.