A gang of raiders threatened to slice a five-year-old boy's throat and stole thousands of pounds in cash after breaking into a family's home through the roof. The youngster pleaded with the masked burglars not to harm his parents as they held a blade to his mum's neck and warned they would hack his dad's hand off.
One of the attackers, ex-takeaway proprietor Haneef Chowdhury, had called at the property days before posing as a British Gas employee in what appeared to be a scouting operation, which later enabled the mother to identify him as one of their attackers. Chowdhury, of no fixed address, aged 29, was jailed for 14 years after admitting robbery at Liverpool Crown Court.
Attack on Borough Road flat
Liverpool Crown Court was told this afternoon (August 28) that Chowdhury was among three men who targeted a flat on Borough Road in Birkenhead, where a couple resided with their then five-year-old son, on January 25, 2022. The criminals punched and struck the mum and dad before threatening to slice their son's throat.
Gerry Baxter, prosecuting, outlined how a blade was pressed to the mother's neck, while the father's hand was positioned over a radiator as the gang warned they would hack it off. The little boy "begged and pleaded with them not to hurt his mummy and daddy."
The ordeal continued for approximately half an hour, during which the flat was "ransacked" and around £6,000 in cash and jewellery items were taken. Mr Baxter continued: "The crown's case is that the robbery had been carefully planned and this defendant not only visited the area on a number of occasions, but he was the one who went to the front door of the flat pretending to be an employee of British Gas."
Impact on the family
In a statement read out to the court on his behalf, the father outlined how he had been left with memory issues as a consequence of the blows he received during the incident and had to travel to Bangladesh to have his teeth repaired, having been unable to afford to have this dental treatment done in the UK. The mother revealed that the family were compelled to relocate to a new home as a result of the incident.
Chowdhury had no prior convictions at the time of the robbery, although he was later imprisoned for 31 months last year for possession of class A drugs with intent to supply. His two co-conspirators were never caught.
Defence and sentencing
Philip Tully, defending, said: "We say that there is a marked difference between the role he played and the other two males who threatened and used violence towards the victims. We say the evidence supports his assertion that he was in some way recruited by others. He says he was told by others that the property would be empty."
He continued: "Certainly, he played an important role, but not a leading role in relation to the threats and level of violence that took place." Mr Tully further shared: "There is a completely different side to Mr Chowdhury, a family man, a father-of-three children, a good work record, previously employed as a warrant officer for United Utilities. He opened his own business, an Indian takeaway, in 2020, which ran into financial difficulties, which led to his gambling addiction and a severe financial position at the time he committed this offence and other offences on his record."
Chowdhury pleaded guilty to robbery partway through his trial. Speaking via video link from HMP Liverpool while dressed in a grey tracksuit top, he received a 14-year prison term and an indefinite restraining order.
During sentencing, Judge Charlotte Crangle stated: "Two males forced their way in via a flat roof and through a bathroom window. They then let the third male in through the door. Almost immediately, two of them went into a bedroom, confronting the family and demanding to know where the cash and gold was. They inflicted violence on both [the dad] and his wife. They punched and kicked [the dad], slapped [the mum]. It was obvious from the words they were using that they knew about the money."
