Three debt-ridden men played their part in a terrifying burglary that involved two of them travelling from London to Newcastle to steal high value Indian jewellery.
Abdulatif Nsubuga, 32, Mohammed Raja, 31, and Ravi Handa, 38, each played their part in a sophisticated burglary which resulted in Nsubuga donning a hard-hat and hi-vis clothing and forcing his way into a 62-year-old woman's home in the West End. The victim, who was Handa's aunt, had been selected by her nephew as he knew she had family jewellery worth £26,000 in her house.
When Nsubuga turned up to the woman's home on Thorntree Drive on March 12, 2020, he pointed a fake gun at her head and tied her to a wardrobe with cable ties before searching her home and leaving with cash and the sentimental jewellery. Along with Raja, who was waiting outside in a BMW, the pair then made their way back down south, but were stopped by police in the Luton area by police.
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On Friday, Nsubuga, of Summerwood Road, Isleworth, London; Raja, of Standard Road, Hounslow, London; and Handa, of Abbots Way, North Shields, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court to be sentenced. Nsubuga was sentenced for aggravated burglary and possession of an imitation firearm, with Raja and Handa being sentenced for burglary. All three had previously entered guilty pleas.
The court heard that Londoners, Nsubuga and Raja were childhood friends, and Raja had met Handa at a weight loss boot camp in Birmingham when they were adults. All three soon bonded over their serious debts, with all owing thousands.
Jane Waugh, prosecuting, said that all three discussed their debts over text message and spoke of "how to make huge amounts of money through criminal means", suggesting Indian gold was the "best quality". It was soon after that Handa told the other two about his aunt, who he knew had Indian jewellery that had been passed down to her inside her property.
Mr Waugh said: "Handa identified his aunt's house and arranged the burglary together with Raja, who engaged his childhood friend, Nsubuga, to enter the house and steal jewellery." The court was told that the trio then made many trips to the street where the 62-year-old victim lived, and CCTV showed their cars passing the home on numerous occasions. Many phone calls were also made between them.
Ms Waugh said that before the burglary was carried out, Nsubuga and Raja travelled up to Newcastle from London in a car, but stopped off at a Toolstation store near Heathrow on their way and picked up hi-vis clothing as Handa waited in the North East. When the duo arrived in Newcastle another "reconnaissance mission" was carried out past the targeted home.
Ms Waugh said: "Handa rang around local hotels trying to find Raja and Nsubuga somewhere to sleep. They stayed at The Grange Hotel and booked in under a false name." She added that "all three were involved in planning and reconnaissance trips" and that the burglary was finally carried out when the victim was home alone.
She said: "There was a knock at the door, when she went and opened the door she was face to face with Nsubuga, who was wearing a hi-vis and a hard hat and carrying a clip board. He said there were organised works and needed her signature to do repairs. It was windy and he tried to convince her to enter her home and sign the paperwork. He then forced his way into the home and pulled out a gun and put it to her head. He said he wanted jewellery and money that he knew she had. He threatened to kill her and her son."
Terrified, the woman wondered how the intruder knew she had gold jewellery in her home or the fact she had a son - who was out at work at the time. The court heard the woman's jewellery was worth £26,000 and included family heirlooms that had been passed down and had a high sentimental value.
Mr Waugh added: "He tied her to a wardrobe using cable ties and made a messy search of the property. Raja, who was outside in a BMW, was texting Nsubuga asking how long he would be. Nsubuga then left the home with cash and jewellery, leaving the woman tied to the wardrobe."
As Nsubuga and Raja fled towards London, the victim managed to escape the restraints and called her family and the police. During the journey down south, Raja made calls to Handa, and police managed to quickly identify their BMW with armed police stopping Raja and Nsubuga in the Luton area a short time later. The stolen goods were found in the car but the fake gun was never recovered.
When Nsubuga's phone was examined, it was found he had "significant debts" owed to individuals and loan companies. Handa, who was arrested months later and was working as an Uber driver, was said to have used his "local knowledge" for the burglary and identified his aunt as the victim with Raja being responsible for putting the gang together.
In a victim statement, the woman said the incident had a "devastating impact" on her life and caused a rift in the once-close family. She also "cries frequently". The court heard Raja was on a community order at the time of the burglary and Nsubuga had a previous warning for theft. Handa had no previous convictions.
Tony Davis, defending Handa, said: "He acknowledges he made a monumental error of judgement in dealing with the very deep, personal problems that he had when he was a participant in this offence. His remorse is utter - the rift his actions have caused between close family has been extraordinarily significant to him." Mr Davis added that Handa had gambling debts and had even resorted to pawning his own jewellery in order to "keep his head above water".
Matthew Bean, defending Raja, said: "He deeply regrets his decision to become involved. He doesn't blame anyone else for that decision, it was his own. He has shame about the affect his actions have had on the victim and it was wholly out of character. He was the bridge between the co-accused and played his part freely."
Nick Cartmell, defending Nsubuga, said: "For a period in 2020 before this offending he found himself in a mental institution having voluntarily sectioned himself. That was the beginning of a spiral of decline from a successful businessman, who fell through addiction to drugs and gambling into homelessness. He was released from that institution days before this burglary occurred, he was a vulnerable man but a participant." Mr Cartmell added that Nsubuga was a "subordinate" and a religious man and that his actions continue to "haunt" him.
Sentencing the trio, Judge Adams jailed them all, handing Nsubuga a 10-and-a-half-year prison sentence; Raja, a 44 months prison term, while Handa got three years and one month behind bars.
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