Three men who stormed into a house with knives and a sock containing a pool ball to raid it have been jailed for a combined total of 24 years.
One of the three Weston-super-Mare thugs even bit one of the victims on the arm, and the wound later got infected, a court was told.
They ran off when people in the supported living accommodation they were raiding pressed a panic button - but they were caught and convicted because one of the knives they used had the DNA of all three on it.
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The shockingly violent attack happened last year when three men barged into the hallway of a supported living accommodation block in Weston and threatened two residents living there.
David Archer, 54, Alfie Kayan, 33 and 31-year-old Chad Walker - all from Weston-super-Mare - took weapons with them. Kayan and Walker had knives while Archer was carrying a sock containing a pool ball, police said. Both victims were threatened with the knives and Archer restrained one of the victims while Kayan went through his pockets and took money and other items.
There was a struggle, and Archer bit the victim on the arm and this later became infected, police said.
The three ran off, but police worked out who they were. “Officers later recovered one of the knives used in the incident from a nearby alleyway which, when tested, was found to have all three of their DNA on it,” a spokesperson for Avon and Somerset police said.
“Kayan and Archer’s DNA was also found on one of the victim’s clothing. An extensive CCTV trawl of the area also led officers to a second address in the town where the three men had gathered before the incident,” the spokesperson added.
All three pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at Bristol Crown Court today (Friday, February 18). Archer also admitted a charge of possession of an offensive weapon. Kayan and Walker both pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a bladed article and Walker admitted two other counts of assaulting an emergency services worker.
“This was a harrowing incident which saw three violent men armed with weapons force their way into two vulnerable people’s home, threaten them with knives and assault and rob one of them,” said the Designated Investigative Officer, Lucinda Darby, from Avon and Somerset police.
“Biting one of the victim’s arms was a cowardly attack and it is only through luck the infection that later developed did not result in him losing his arm. I’d like to praise both victims for the courage they showed in coming forward to report the incident and thank them for the support they showed for our subsequent investigation.
“All three men had little choice but to admit to their crimes with both CCTV and DNA evidence providing irrefutable proof of their involvement,” she added.
All three men were jailed for eight years each for the crimes.
The senior investigating officer Det Sgt Charlie Pulling added: “I hope the sentences handed down today give both victims a sense of closure and make Archer, Kayan and Walker reflect on their actions.”
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