Ealing 'Insider' Jailed For Bookies Robberies

Gang carried out raids on Ladbrokes including Ealing and Southall branches

A man who worked in Ladbrokes in Ealing was an 'insider' in a gang responsible for carrying out a series of robberies and attempted robberies at bookmakers in London

Officers from the Met’s Flying Squad identified the group after investigating a series of offences at ten Ladbrokes bookmakers in London and Hertfordshire between 1 May 2016 and 23 January 2017.

Officers established the robberies were committed in a similar way, with a variety of weapons used to the threaten staff, including a handgun, a hammer and a samurai sword.

The group displayed a knowledge of Ladbrokes security procedures and forced staff to open the safes behind the counters and hand over cash. In total, £20,000 was stolen by the robbers.

One of the group, Demetri Fairweather, worked at a Ladbrokes in Ealing and failed to press his panic alarm despite being told several times to do this by his manager during a robbery on June 16 2016.

Another of member of the group, Johnson Konan, was also an ex-Ladbrokes employee.

Demetri Fairweather 22 of Hatton Road, Wembley, who was found guilty of conspiracy to rob after a trial was sentenced to seven years imprisonment at Isleworth Crown Court on Monday, 29 October.

(Demetri Fairweather)

Flying Squad detectives identified two female gang members who would lure Ladbrokes employees out from behind the secure counter by asking for help with the gambling machine.

The women would then ‘call on’ the robbery and other gang members would arrive armed with weapons used to threaten staff.

During a robbery at a Ladbrokes in Brent on 3 December 2016, an employee was hit with a handgun.

In another offence, at a Ladbrokes in Southall on 15 September 2016, a customer and a member of staff had guns pointed to their heads.

Detectives identified the group after they analysed CCTV from Ladbrokes and carried out a proactive surveillance operation, which provided evidence of the links between those responsible for the robberies.

Three other members of the group, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob and conspiracy to possess an imitation firearm were sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court, as follows in July:

Jordan Reid 23 of Alder Grove, Brent, was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment. He was sentenced to a further 12 months in jail, to be served consecutively, after he admitted breaching a suspended sentence order.

Yaanan Reid 19 of Alder Grove, Brent, was sentenced to eight years and three months.

Johnson Konan 22 of Church Road, Brent, was sentenced to nine years imprisonment. He was sentenced to a further 12 months in jail, to be served consecutively, after he admitted breaching a suspended sentence order.

Shannon Roberts, 21 (4.3.97) of Downland Street, Queen’s Park, was sentenced to six years imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob and was found guilty after trial of conspiracy to possess an imitation firearm.

Diana Holder, 22 of Hanover Circle, Hayes, was sentenced to three years imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob. She was found not guilty of conspiracy to possess an imitation firearm.

Detective Inspector Scott Hartley, of the Met’s Flying Squad, said, “This gang was responsible for a series of frightening armed robberies in which violence and intimidation was used against employees in the bookmakers.

“The crimes were premeditated and the gang members worked as a team to carry out the offences.

“This case shows that anyone found to be involved in the commission of armed robbery offences will be arrested and likely to be given a significant jail sentence.”

30th October 2018