Six sentenced for attempted phone shop robbery

Jason Hunte (left) and Nusret Arslan were jailed for their part in the attempted robbery

Six men have been sentenced after attempting to rob a phone shop.

The men were stopped by police as they burst into the O2 shop in Borough Parade, Chippenham, ran through the store and set off the fire alarm on 16 March.

All six pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal at a court hearing in June, and were sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on Thursday.

Two men were sent to prison - Jason Hunte, 27, of Avondale Drive, Hayes, Hillingdon, for two years and two months, and Nusret Arslan, 24, of East Avenue, Hayes, Hillingdon, for two years. The four other men received suspended prison sentences.

Jaheim Thompson (left) and Billy Gladdish both received suspended sentences

The court heard from a sales assistant involved in the incident, who said they had found themselves "overwhelmed with shock, fear, and anxiety".

They added they had noticed a significant change in how they interacted with customers, and felt "a sense of unease and tension whenever someone enters the store".

Jesse Madika, 24, of Amersham Avenue, Edmonton, Enfield, was sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years, as well as 150 hours of unpaid work, while Jaheim Thompson, 23, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to eight months suspended for 18 months.

Billy Gladdish, 28, of no fixed abode, was handed 14 months in prison, suspended for two years as well as 200 hours of unpaid work, and Tyrike Rasgado, 23, of Deans Lane, Mill Hill, Edgware, was sentenced to eight months suspended for 18 months and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Tyrike Rasgado (left) and Jesse Madika were also handed suspended sentences

The court also heard from a customer who was in the store at the time and described the contrast between "quite happily sitting in the shop completing a new phone contract, to suddenly men bursting in and running through the shop, a fire alarm going off, and shop staff shouting to get out".

"I was filled with sudden panic and an overwhelming need to run and get out and get as far away as possible," they added.

Speaking after the sentencing, Wiltshire Police Det Con Jared Yalden said detectives had been collaborating with the Metropolitan Police to prevent similar offending.

He said the men gave "no thought" to the impact their actions would have on victims due to their "determination" and "own personal greed".