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Rotherham trio jailed for armed robbery

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Latest news in Yorkshire: July 04, 2018 02:31:03 PM

Sentenced last Friday for armed robbery in Rotherham (from left-right): Lyle
Copley, Shakil Hussain, Declan Taylor

Three men have been sent to prison for a combined total of nearly 20 years
after pleading guilty to armed robbery charges, in relation to a robbery at
a Rotherham jewellery shop earlier this year.

Appearing at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday (29 June), 22-year-old Lyle
Copley, of Cecil Avenue, Doncaster, was jailed for eight years after
pleading guilty to robbery, threatening another with an article with a blade
or point and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

Alongside him were co-accused Shakil Hussain, 26, of Bridge Close, Airmyn,
East Riding of Yorkshire, and Declan Taylor, 21, of Walker Road, Rotherham.
They were jailed for four-and-a-half years each after pleading guilty to
robbery.

Taylor also pleaded guilty to threatening another with an article with a
blade or point.

Shortly after 12.45pm on Monday 30 April, three men wearing masks entered
the Jewellery Exchange premises in Imperial Buildings, Rotherham town
centre, where they threatened a shop worker with a knife and metal bars.

The group stole a significant quantity of jewellery, estimated to be worth
around £20,000, before fleeing to a nearby vehicle and driving off at speed.

Acting Detective Inspector Aneela Khalil-Khan said: “As the robbery was
reported to police on that Monday afternoon, traffic officers spotted the
group’s getaway car – a black Honda Civic – and pursued it from the scene.

“Despite several attempts to get the car to stop, it continued to drive at
speed, over grass verges before the group abandoned the vehicle in the
Meadow Bank Road area of the town.

“Copley was arrested nearby and charged with several offences including
Class A drugs possession, after a search of his person recovered a quantity
of wraps of cocaine.”

Hussain was arrested by officers at the scene and later charged with
robbery.

ADI Khalil-Khan continued: “As our enquiries into the robbery continued, we
released CCTV stills of an unidentified suspect to the public and media.

“Thanks to information received from the public, we were able to identify
Taylor and arrest him at the end of May.

“I’m pleased all three men have admitted their crimes and now face time
behind bars. They put lives at risk by carrying dangerous weapons and then
in their attempt to evade police capture.

“My thanks go to all those individuals who came forward to provide police
with information about this incident, which must have been a terrifying
experience for the victim of the robbery. I am grateful for their support
throughout our inquiry and hope they feel reassured now the perpetrators are
in prison.”

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