A grandmother linked to a burglary gang targeting elderly homes has avoided prison after proving she was coerced into her role
During the trial, it came out that she was basically controlled by the ringleader, Darren Cox. He made her drive him to 15 of the 21 break-ins they committed across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Lancashire. The judge felt she was coerced into this and didn’t really know what she was getting into at first.
Last summer, the judge had already sentenced Cox and another accomplice, Declan Prosser, for their roles. He told Ryde that he would keep an eye on her and see if she could stay out of trouble. And she did! So, instead of prison, she got a suspended sentence of 20 months.
The judge mentioned that her actions were out of character and that he would ignore her past convictions. He believed she was under Cox’s control, which is why he felt a suspended sentence was appropriate.
During the break-ins, Cox would wear a mask and drill holes to get into homes, stealing jewelry worth a fortune. Ryde drove him to these places, and Prosser was often the lookout, getting paid for it. They targeted elderly people, which is just awful.
In total, they hit homes in places like Ilkeston, Heanor, and even near Blackpool. The prosecutor said they took items that were not just valuable but also held sentimental worth for the victims.
When Cox was caught, they found ski masks and other gear in his car, linking him to the crimes. All three of them pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary. Cox got a hefty sentence of over five years, while Prosser received four and a half years.
The judge made it clear that burglary is a serious crime that leaves victims feeling unsafe in their own homes. As part of her suspended sentence, Ryde has to attend rehab sessions and wear an alcohol monitoring tag for a while.
