A gang of burglars abandoned their 71-year-old victim in the boot of his electric car after the vehicle ran out of power during a botched kidnapping and burglary attempt. The incident occurred after the gang broke into the victim's home in Torquay, reportedly motivated by social media posts showing him wearing expensive watches.
The victim told a court that he feared for his life as his hands were cable-tied and his mouth was taped before being placed in the car's boot. The perpetrators had intended to transport him to an address in London, believing more watches were located there.
Two members of the group, identified as Altan O’Connell and Luke McInerney, drove the electric car north on the M5 motorway. However, the vehicle's battery depleted near Bridgwater. The men then left the victim in the boot, abandoned the car in a lane near Puriton, Somerset, and fled the scene.
The victim was able to free himself from the boot, locate the car keys, and use the remaining battery power to drive to a nearby shop, where he alerted authorities. The break-in at his home had occurred at 1 a.m. on January 26.
Franklin O’Dwyer, 25, Altan O’Connell, 27, Luke McInerney, 31, Nicholas O’Dwyer, 56, Dwain Stratford, 35, and Karl Houghton, 36, all from Swindon, were sentenced at Exeter Crown Court to a combined total of 49 years. The court heard that police linked the group to similar crimes across the South West of England.
Following investigations, the gang pleaded guilty to multiple offenses, including kidnap, false imprisonment, burglary, possession of drugs, and handling stolen goods and counterfeit currency. Investigators reviewed mobile phones associated with the gang and discovered search histories on Instagram related to their criminal activities.
Upon their arrest, law enforcement officers discovered stolen vehicles, numerous watches, jewelry, designer handbags, drones, and cash at various properties linked to the defendants. Franklin O’Dwyer received a sentence of ten years and five months for kidnap and burglary. O’Connell and McInerney were each sentenced to eleven years and ten months. Nicholas O’Dwyer, Stratford, and Houghton were given sentences of six years and three months, four years and eight months, and four years, respectively.