Gang jailed for Accrington carjacking

7:22pm Friday 6th June 2008

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A GANG who stole cars after threatening their victims with a handgun during test drives have been jailed.

Barry Kirk, James Tatton and James Hurst arranged to meet the victims after seeing their cars advertised in Auto Trader magazine.

Kirk and Hurst admitted taking part in a carjacking in Accrington on October 4 last year when the owner of a Ford Focus was held up at gunpoint.

Earlier all three men were involved in the robbery of an Audi A3 belonging to Abdel Kolia, of Heaton.

They saw his Audi A3 advertised in the magazine and arranged to meet him at Morrisons supermarket in Black Horse Street, Bolton, on October 3 last year.

One member of the gang drove the Audi and another sat in the back while Mr Kolia, who was selling the £13,000 car on behalf of his son, sat in the front passenger seat.

A gang member followed in a Vauxhall Astra, which had been stolen in similar circumstances in Warrington two hours earlier.

One of the carjackers grabbed Mr Kolia around the neck and he had an imitation gun held to the back of his head before being forced out of the car. He raised the alarm when he got home.

Kirk, 26, of no fixed address, James Tatton, 22, of Lincoln Walk, Heywood, and James Hurst, 20, of Lock Close, Heywood pleaded guilty to blackmail and possession of an imitation firearm.

Kirk and Hurst admitted the car jacking in Accrington. Hurst and Tatton also pleaded guilty to a separate robbery offence in Heywood.

Bolton Crown Court heard that the gang did not make any effort to disguise themselves and used their own mobile phones to arrange the meetings.

Kirk was given a determinate sentence of six years and eight months which he will serve half of in prison.

Tatton and Hurst were both given indeterminate sentences because they pose a danger to the public. They must serve at least four years before being considered for parole.

Judge Timothy Clayson, sentencing, said: "The offences happened in a short space of time and they violent offences committed against vehicle owners.

"Whilst in the process they were attacked and a gun was pointed at them, which turned out to be an imitation but is a realistic looking item.

"Multiple serious offending demands a heavier sentence than an isolated offence."