Stabbed father outraged by soft sentences for terror raid burglary gang wants tougher penalties for criminals

James Roach17 December 2018
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

A father who was bludgeoned and stabbed by a masked burglar as he protected his family is calling for tougher sentences for the criminals who raided his London home.

Alan Chaytor was also threatened with death during the terrifying raid after the gang burst into his multi-million-pound Hampstead house during dinner with his wife and two children.

The three men, who got in through an upstairs window, were jailed for between three and five years.

Mr Chaytor, 46, blasted the sentences as too lenient and has called for them to be urgently reviewed.

He has written to the Crown Prosecution Service, which brought the case against the burglars, saying he was disgusted with the jail terms handed down at Wood Green crown court.

“It’s lucky they didn’t kill me, yet they will be out in a few years,” he said. “The doctor could not believe I didn’t have broken arms and ribs. If I’d been hit on the head I would not be here today.

“These sentences are there to deter people but if you don’t use them then they can’t be a deterrent.”

One crowbar-wielding gang member, his face hidden by a balaclava and a motorcycle helmet, made death threats to Mr Chaytor and rounded on him as he tried to protect his two terrified young children in the February raid.

The victim was hit and stabbed 20 times with the rusty metal weapon. His five-year-old daughter India, son Blake, three, and wife Aliona cowered in the kitchen, listening to the shouts and screams from the next room.

Mr Chaytor, whose neighbours include actor Tom Conti and footballer Thierry Henry, said: “It took a few seconds for us to register what was going on, then I hit the panic alarm. One of the gang members came downstairs with a crowbar, screaming, ‘I’m going to kill you’.

“In seconds I’d armed myself with my daughter’s tennis racket and tried to hold him back from going towards the family. Before I had said anything he smashed me on the back of the neck.”

The burglars were traced to Barnet by police using a locating device in a stolen iPad.

Kane Franzese, 21, of Hendon, was jailed for 38 months, Scott Logan, 23, of Cricklewood, for five years, Michael Edgar, 22, of no fixed address, for 40 months.

They admitted aggravated burglary and possession of criminal property. Oshi Owan, 25, of East Finchley, was sentenced at the same hearing for 28 months after pleading guilty to receiving stolen goods.

If the sentences are deemed too lenient they could be referred to the Court of Appeal.

  • UPDATE: The above article has been amended to clarify the charges relating to Oshi Owan – 13/12/18

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in