A mother feared her family were going to be killed after she found three burglars ransacking her home in the middle of the night.
Paul David Routledge, 34, Robert Jones, 27, and Josh Ward, 23, "terrorised" a family after they broke into their home in County Durham as two children slept upstairs and began trashing the property. The trio toppled furniture and left blood smeared on the walls as they goaded the man of the household to fight in the early hours of July 24 2021.
The three intruders were found in the home by a mother, who was terrified they were going to kill her family. The frightening incident ended when the three men left the property, damaging cars in the street in the process.
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On Friday, all three men appeared at Durham Crown Court to be sentenced for burglary, affray, and criminal damage. Ward was also charged with possession of cocaine. All three had pleaded guilty to the offences.
The court heard that the three men, all acting together and "under the influence", entered a family home in Wheatley Hill, County Durham, in the early hours of the morning as a couple and their two children slept. At around 4am, the mum of the family was awoken by a noise.
Joe Hedworth, prosecuting, said: "She heard a banging from the front of the house and could hear someone. She then opened a door as she was worried about her dog, turned the light on and saw males inside her home. They did not leave, with the first offender appearing hot and sweaty. They were repeatedly shouting 'come on...'."
Terrified, the mum told the men there were children in the home and shouted at them to get out. But the trio ignored her and instead began to "ransack the property". Mr Hedworth said: "She closed her internal doors and shouted for her family to call the police. She thought they had come to kill her and things were being thrown around the room.
"She would not let her husband come down the stairs and he felt helpless and concerned that they were refusing to leave. Furniture had been thrown around and a mirror had been pulled off the wall. Blood from the offenders was also on the wall and a window had been smashed."
As they left, Routledge, Jones and Ward smashed up the mum's car and also damaged the car of another resident in a nearby street. All three were arrested by the police in the coming days, with Ward being found in possession of cocaine when he was apprehended.
In a victim statement, the mum said: "I was terrified. I 100% thought my children and I were going to die. I thought I was going to see my family killed." Mr Hedworth added that the dad of the family suffered a mental breakdown following the incident.
The court heard Routledge, of South Parade, Thornley, Durham, had 19 previous convictions for 39 offences, including criminal damage and battery. He appeared at the court via link from HMP Durham.
Jones, formerly of Peter Lee Cottages, Wheatley Hill, had 11 previous convictions for 19 offences. He is currently serving an extended prison sentence of 10 and a half years for carrying out an aggravated burglary - which was committed after these matters - and appeared at the hearing via link from HMP Deerbolt.
Martin Scarborough, defending Routledge, said the only mitigation he could put forward was that of his guilty pleas. He said: "This clearly will have been a terrifying incident. There's no reason why this house was targeted and he accepts he was intoxicated and acted with others."
Jane Waugh, defending Jones, said he was given an extended prison sentence in November last year and was entitled to full credit for his guilty pleas. She said: "He has made use of his time in custody by becoming an enhanced prisoner and peer support worker. He is putting his time to good use."
Mark Styles, defending Ward asked the court for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
Sentencing Jones and Routledge, Recorder Thomas Moran said: "Clearly it was a joint enterprise to go to this house and terrorise the occupants for some reason. You carried on ransacking the property and threw items at (the mum). You shouted for her husband who wanted to confront you, but she told him not to. All three of you were causing damage and goading him to fight."
Routledge was jailed for two years and eight months and Jones was given a 14 month prison sentence, which he will have to serve consecutively to his current sentence for aggravated burglary.
Ward will be sentenced on Tuesday, March 14 and was granted bail until his next appearance.
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