Gangster gang sent down

Palmer, Daniel Willoughby, Cunningham and George pose as gangsters. The woman's face has been obscured because she was not a defendant.

A GANG of carjackers who stole £350,000 worth of vehicles at gunpoint during a five-week reign of terror were jailed for a total of 80 years this week.

The seven youths aged 17 to 20 from Tottenham, Muswell Hill, Enfield and Whetstone, modelled themselves on movie gangsters such as Scarface, carrying out up to 28 attacks with handguns and knives.

The gang smashed their way into the homes of the wealthy wearing ski masks before forcing their victims to hand over the keys to luxury cars including BMWs, Mercedes and Audis.

At Snaresbrook Crown Court Judge Inigo Bing branded the gang "savage, vicious and highly organised."

As they were being taken from the dock the thugs, who smirked and laughed as they were sentenced, responded by warning the judge he was a "dead man" and made threatening pistol gestures.

The gang spent their days watching every available gangster film on video and DVD, with the hit mobster romp Scarface, starring Al Pacino, a particular favourite.

They acted out scenes of carjacking from the movies and games, including Grand Theft Auto.

They also acted out their favourite fantasies by posing Bugsy Malone-style for black and white trophy photographs clad in their gangster garb and waving their guns.

The carjackers targeted lone drivers, homes, building societies and bookmakers between February and March this year.

They operated in areas near the North Circular including Finchley, Barnet, Romford, Wanstead and Southgate.

The court heard how the gang stole up to four top-of-the-range cars a night, using the North Circular to make their getaway at speeds of more than 120mph.

Tottenham residents Colin Palmer, 18, of Brunswick Road, Daniel Willoughby, 18, of Beaconsfield Road, Robert George, 19, and Anthony Cunningham, 19, of Ingram Court, Enfield, admitted multiple charges of conspiracy to rob and firearms offences.

Willoughby's brother Leon,17, of the same address, his cousin Nathaniel, 20, of Whetstone, and Dale Theron, 17, of Springfield Avenue, Muswell Hill, were found guilty.

Nathaniel Willoughby was sentenced to 14 years in a young offenders institution.

Leon Willoughby and Theron were each given 12 years detention.

Daniel Willoughby, George and Cunningham all got 11 years in a young offenders institution and Palmer was sentenced to nine-and-a-half-years.

12:40 Thursday 19th December 2002

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