Harlesden man jailed for role in £400k burglary spree loses appeal

A Harlesden man who was a member of a burglary gang that netted almost £400,000 worth of stolen jewellery, cars and property, lost his appeal against his sentence today.

Jason James Reilly, 25, of Wendover Road, Harlesden, was sentenced to 10 years and three months for his role in a string of house raids last year.

Reilly teamed up with Jordan Northover, 20, Mark Anthony Laidlaw, 22, and Kyle Vaughan Ettienne, 22, to roam far and wide during August, burgling houses in Enfield, Barnet and Islington boroughs, using disguises and crowbars and wearing overalls.

Two aggravated burglaries featured in the string of crimes, when households were raided while occupiers were present and were confronted by the raiders.

Security guards at a cash machine were also targeted and a car used to run over and smash a cash box in order for robbers to steal almost £20,000.

All four were sentenced for the conspiracy to burgle at Wood Green Crown Court in April, while Laidlaw and Reilly were also punished for the two aggravated burglaries and robbery and Ettienne for the robbery.

Today, lawyers for all four argued that they had been too harshly punished, but saw their cases thrown out of the Court of Appeal by three senior judges.

Mr Justice Cranston, sitting today with Lord Justice Moses and Sir David Calvert-Smith, said the terms were deserved for such a serious catalogue of crime.

Laidlaw, from New Southgate, is serving 15 years; Reilly, Ettienne, of no fixed address, eight-and-a-half years and Northover, of Seven Sisters Road, Finsbury Park, four years.