Redland Robbery Gang Jailed

A violent gang that robbed the Nisa store on Redland's Chandos Road -

along with numerous other convenience stores across the city - was

jailed for a total of 34 years today at Bristol Crown Court.

The

raid in August 2008 saw gang members, armed with a metal pole, steal

cash and cigarettes before making off in the direction of Clyde Road.

Peter

Miles, 41, David Miles 23, Ryan Douglas, 36, William Defty, 36, Claude

Williams, 48 and Christopher Morgan, 40 were all convicted of conspiracy

to commit robbery at Bristol Crown Court on Monday (March 1). During the

trial, it was revealed that several of the gang members were heroin

addicts at the time of the crimes.  

The 13 offences took place

between August 2008 and January 2009 and totalled over £42,000. Many of

the shop assistants in the targeted stores were left “frightened,

shaken and extremely nervous as a result of their experiences” according

to prosecutor Donald Tait.

Commenting on the case, DCI John

Reilly said "By using a high level of violence, with metal bars and

hammers, they overcame staff and stole both cash and cigarettes to a

total value of over £40,000. I hope that these sentences reassure the

public that we will be relentless in pursuing offenders and bringing

them to justice in order to make our communities safer."