A gang member burgled a West Yorkshire woman’s home and then threatened to ‘cut’ her face unless she paid money for the return of her stolen car.
Macauley Peacock, 22, raided the woman’s home and stole her VW Golf before he and fellow criminal Steven Kelly blackmailed her into paying £500, then demanded another £1,000 for its return.
She was told her home would be petrol bombed if she doesn’t comply.
The woman was sent a message which said: “Tonight, your gaff, going to cut your face, you have (until) 9pm tonight to get the money.”
Once she had agreed to pay the blackmail fee, gang members met her in Cheetham Hill, Manchester, to return a car key to her.
But the key was for another vehicle they had stolen and the gang fled, although they had put themselves in the frame by parking the Golf on Steven Kelly’s street.
The pair were part of a Manchester crime gang who were caught after they left a string of incriminating clues during a crime spree that netted just a few thousand pounds.
Kelly, the gang’s most active member, always wore the same stripy coat during robberies which helped police spot him on CCTV.
Steven Kelly, 25, of Sighthill Walk, Harpurhey, admitted charges including aggravated burglary, theft, robbery, possessing an offensive weapon, blackmail, and was found guilty of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply. He was jailed for 12 years.
Niall Tallon, 23, of Symond Road, Harpurhey, was jailed for seven years after admitting theft, robbery, possessing offensive weapons and class A drugs.
Gino Williams, 28, of Rochdale Road, Harpurhey admitted aggravated burglary, robbery and possession of an offensive weapon and was jailed for 11 years.
Matthew Brogan, 21, of Brewster Street, Harpurhey, was jailed for four-and-a-half years after admitting robbery, possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and breach of a suspended sentence.
Macauley Peacock, 22, of Worthington Street, Moston, admitted blackmail, theft and breach of bail and got three years and two months.
They were jailed at Manchester Crown Court earlier this week.
Detective Sergeant Ian Haselden said: “It is our duty to protect people and bring those who are a threat to others to justice.
“Although we may never understand how these men could so callously continue breaking the law and putting people in harm’s way, my team and I have been able to gain a deep understanding of their processes and how they operated, resulting in today’s outcome.
“We will continue to take severe measures to restrict those who think they are above the law and do everything in our power to show them that they are not.”
