The Evening Standard story – Armed robber who posed for photos with haul is jailed

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“Armed robber who posed for photos with haul is jailed”

An armed robber who was caught after posing with wads of cash and a diamond ring following a violent raid was jailed for life today.

Brothers Yohan and Yamani Clarke took photographs after the attack at a cash and carry in which one man was shot in the stomach.

Yohan, 31, was one of five men who stormed into the Costco cash and carry store in Imperial Way, Croydon, on September 17 last year.

He fled the store with bundles of notes and an 18-carat white gold ring, and was caught when police stopped him and found a camera containing the incriminating images.

Passing sentence at Croydon crown court, Judge Nicholas Ainley said Yohan posed a significant risk to the public and ordered him to serve a minimum of 22 years in prison.

Yamani, 23, of South Norwood, admitted handling the proceedings of the robbery and was jailed for 40 months.

The gang raided the store at about 7.40pm, using a claw hammer to smash a triple glazed display cabinet containing £70,000 of jewellery – including the gold ring, valued at £3,500.

One fired a shot as employees chased them away, hitting a 24-year-old who needed emergency surgery to remove a cartridge from near his aorta.

He also suffered gun shot wounds to his colon, bowel, stomach and pancreas.

Officers caught up with Yohan days after the raid when they stopped a car in Redhill, Surrey.

They discovered a digital camera in the car containing photographs of the Clarke brothers posing with bundles of cash, with a ring later identified as that stolen in the robbery.

Yohan, who was unemployed, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob, possessing a firearm at the time of committing an offence and grievous bodily harm with intent on July 6 – the first day of his trial.

Detective Inspector Neil Williams of the Metropolitan Police praised the courage shown by Costco employees.

“I am pleased with today’s sentences and pleased that a dangerous criminal will be spending a substantial amount of time away from the public,” he said.

“This incident could have easily turned into a murder inquiry and whilst we always encourage people to dial 999 in an emergency, I applaud the bravery of staff in Costco who intervened on that day and helped to give first aid.

“Inquiries to trace the three outstanding suspects and various items of jewellery continue and I am appealing to anyone who may have information that could help us to contact the police and ensure that all of the violent individuals involved in the robbery are brought to justice.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 020 7407 6319 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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The Evening Standard story – Britain ‘failing’ to help troops

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“Britain ‘failing’ to help troops”

The country is “failing miserably” to help injured and traumatised troops recover from combat, the parents of the 200th member of the British forces to die in Afghanistan have said.

Hazel Hunt was speaking outside the inquest of her son Private Richard Hunt, who was killed when his Warrior vehicle hit an Improvised Explosive Device.

He suffered “unsurvivable injuries” in the blast on August 13 last year but his colleagues managed to drag him from the personnel carrier and he was transferred to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. The 21-year-old from Abergavenny, south Wales, died two days later with his family at his bedside.

Speaking outside the inquest at Birmingham Coroners’ Court on Wednesday, his mother Hazel and father Phillip said more needed to be done to help troops returning from combat with serious injuries or suffering from severe mental trauma.

Mrs Hunt, who had her son’s dog tag turned into a pendant which she wears, said: “As far as we are concerned we have lost Richard, which is the worst thing that can happen to any parent. But there are those who are coming back severely injured and they need an awful lot more help than they are getting.

“These boys and girls are taught to be resilient and not to rely on anybody so when they come out of the Armed Forces they are left to wallow on their own. It’s a case of sink or swim and a lot are sinking. It all needs to be much better organised and they shouldn’t have to cope on their own.”

She added: “On the one hand, numbers mean nothing because it’s a war and in war people die, but on the other hand is it a necessary war? I have been able to raise awareness because of the fact Richard is number 200 and a lot of people don’t know why we are out there.”

The inquest heard Pte Hunt was driving one of the Warriors, a task he disliked but did without complaining, towards Musa Qala, Helmand Province, when it hit the IED. His Warrior was following 15 other vehicles in established tracks to reduce the risk of hitting a hidden bomb.

Despite being driven over by the convoy ahead, the device detonated as Private Hunt negotiated a steep river bank. It is thought it may have been a mine left over from when the Russians invaded Afghanistan. Army medics rushed to save the soldier and they managed to free him before he was transferred by helicopter to Camp Bastion and then Kandahar. The soldier, from 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh, was then flown to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, where his condition deteriorated and he died from a massive brain injury.

Paying tribute to Private Hunt, Major Huw Jones said: “Richard was brave and never hesitated to do what was asked of him immediately.”

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