Forklift truck driver was beaten, knifed and robbed in his home

FOUR thugs who beat, knifed and robbed a man in his home after mistaking the property as a brothel have been jailed for a total of 23 years.

The 33-year-old victim, a forklift truck driver, was in the front garden of his home in Fordwych Avenue, Kilburn, when the gang pounced on April 23 this year.

Chisom Eriken and Ali Shahali, both 18 and from Finchley, north London, and a 17-year-old boy, who can not be named for legal reasons, dragged the man into his home where they slashed him three times with a knife they had snatched from his kitchen.

During their attack, in which the man was also beaten, they shouted ‘where’s the stash, where’s the girls’.

They eventually fled with two laptops and a Play Station in a car being driven by 22-year-old Chandra Kelly, also from Finchley.

Detectives investigating the robbery believe the man was targeted because his home was a former brothel that had been closed down by Camden Police.

Last week at Blackfriars Crown Court Kelly was sentenced to seven years in jail, Eriken received six years and five years were handed down to Shahali and the 17-year-old.

All four were convicted of robbery.

DC Ben Tallick, Camden’s Robbery Squad, said:

“This appeared to be a pre-planned robbery at an address the convicted persons assumed was still a brothel.

“It quickly transpired however, it was in fact the home of an innocent member of the public.

“This did not deter them and they went on to assault and rob their victim in his own home. I would like to thank the members of the public who assisted with this investigation, as without them, none of this would have been possible.

“I am pleased to see them imprisoned and hope this reassures the victim and the community that we are dedicated to bringing perpetrators of robbery to justice.”