Axeman jailed

Gang member gets seven years after terrifying attack

A GANG looking for cash and "skunk" tricked their way into a house posing as postmen with a "special delivery", a court heard on Tuesday.

Once inside, one of them hacked one of the occupants with an axe and bound him with duct tape.

He also struck another man at the house with the axe and kicked him in the face.

The gang of four left empty handed and it was by pure chance that one of them, 20-year-old Adetoye Adeniyi, was spotted in the street 10 months later and arrested.

He alone stood in the dock at Luton Crown Court where he was told by Judge Michael Kay QC: "This was an horrific offence involving sickening violence.

"One can understand the fear and degradation felt in that house."

He sentenced Adeniyi to a total of seven years in custody.

Adeniyi pleaded guilty to wounding Paul Collins with intent, assaulting his brother Christopher Collins causing actual bodily harm and perverting the course of justice and witness intimidation.

Prosecutor Matthew Banham said: "This was a nasty vicious attack on two people who thought they could rely on the sanctuary of their house."

On July 22, 2004 the two brothers and a 15-year-old boy were at the house in Bradley's Corner, Hitchin. They heard a shout at the door saying there was a special delivery and when they opened it four men burst in. Some of them were dressed as postmen.

"They were shouting, 'Where is the money? Where is the skunk?' and rifling drawers for knives.

"The defendant was armed with an axe. He burst into one bedroom and as Christopher Collins was getting out of bed he hit his hand with the axe, and kicked him in the face.

"Paul was in another room also in bed and felt intimidated by what was happening in the house. Adeniyi hacked at him with the axe causing seven cuts to his legs needing 20 stitches.

"He was then bound with duct tape round his legs and face and it was so tight he had difficulty breathing and lost consciousness from the pain."

The court was told that the men fled. One of them had been recognised. He was the lookout and was arrested and jailed for 42 months but the other three remained at large until a chance meeting in the street in May last year.

Adeniyi, of Elbin House on the Morningside Estate in Hackney, denied ever going to the house but was identified by the brothers.

While in custody he tried sending a letter to a friend instructing him to intimidate and threaten Paul Collins to make him drop the charges.

Ann Faul, defending, said: "He says this was a heinous crime and he accepts responsibility for it, and for someone of his age that is a lot to take on.

"He was thrown out of home when he was 15 and living in Hackney if you don't do what the older boys say there are repercussions. He owed money and thought the solution was committing this offence.

"He believes in Karma and has been assaulted twice himself since then."

Judge Kay told Adeniyi: "You grew up in an area where crime is rife and where it is perhaps all too easy to become involved, and one cannot help but have sympathy for the problems you have had but this was an horrific offence.

"It was carefully planned and carried out in the belief that there might be money and drugs in the house.