Cheltenham burglars jailed for 37 years over 500k spree

A gang of five men who committed 42 burglaries, stealing more than £500,000 worth of property have been jailed for a total of 37 years and four months between them.

A sixth gang member, who stored stolen cash and jewellery, was jailed for 13 months but will be released immediately having already served his time while in remand in custody.

Bristol Crown Court heard the men stole jewellery and luxury cars, in a seven-month burglary spree across four counties.

Judge Michael Cullum commended two police officers and a civilian colleague for their work investigating the case which, he said, would have produced 'dozens of ringbinders' full of paperwork in a pre-digital age.

David Benyon, 32, Josh Brammer, 26, Sonny Curran, 32, Ryan McCormick, 35, and Max Smith, 28 admitted two charges of conspiracy to burgle between August 2019 and February 2020, one charge of conspiracy to steal and an additional burglary charge.

Jason Hawkins, 28, who also appeared, did not enter a guilty plea to those charges.

Hawkins was sentenced to a prison term of one year and one month and was told that because of time served on remand he would be immediately released in custody.

All six defendants pleaded guilty to transferring criminal property and Curran, Smith, McCormick and Benyon further admitted an additional burglary charge.

Judge Michael Cullum told the defendants: "There were tales of misery inflicted on commercial premises. These were not burglaries without a victim. You nearly destroyed Bourton-on-the-Water Post Office in the process and the family living above the shop.

"Other premises were repeatedly targeted. A pensioner supplementing her income by selling jewellery had to close her business having lost uninsured stock. On two occasions two individuals were assaulted during the burglaries.

"You as a group have no compassion and no compulsion to stop your criminal activities. If you had you would have stopped much earlier. It's hard to accept any degree of remorse when you continued this spate of burglaries over such a long period."

Judge Cullum concluded: "I was struck that a gang, who were family men, but acted with such callousness and ruthlessness with little regard for others, can still be describe in glowing terms by those surrounding you. You clearly have a different side to your lives than the one we see."

All defendants will face a proceeds of crime hearing on 13 July next year when the court will assess what assets they have that can be confiscated from them. Some of them will also face criminal prevention order proceedings.

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