Teenager gets 15 years for armed raids on women

Donavon Wilson carried out armed raids on women who were home alone and also threatened a victim with a brick during a violent street robbery.

Donavon Wilson, aged 18, of Doxey, Stafford, was sentenced alongside Aston Davis, 21, of Bath Road, Worcester.

The victim of the first robbery on August 7, a 66-year-old woman, was 'left no doubt psychologically frightened' by her ordeal, Judge Amjad Nawaz said. Speaking of the three women at the second house, Judge Nawaz said to Wilson and Davis: "You must have left each one of those ladies frightened out of their wits."

During the first robbery, the men knocked on the door and claimed they were there to look at pipe work. Told by the victim there was nothing wrong with the pipes, they forced their way inside and ripped the gold chains from her neck.

From there, Wilson and Davis made their way to a second address where a woman, who was in the house with her aunt and grandmother, saw two black men walking along the patio trying to hide at about 3.45pm. She ran to the patio door to shut it, but was unable to lock it and once again the pair forced their way inside.

Her aunt made it halfway down the drive before one of the men, armed with a large carving knife, picked her up and carried her back into the house. During the robbery the 74-year-old grandmother was pushed over and received head injuries, including a fractured cheek bone.

The men took the woman's red VW Golf, as well as jewellery and electronics, and were spotted driving erratically in Victoria Road, Tipton.

Wilson's lawyer, Anthony Bell, said Wilson is a young man who has not matured, but the 'realisation is beginning to dawn that he really can't carry on like this'. Mr Bell added: "He believes he can make a living for himself and his family through hard work. He has three children."

Wilson was diagnosed with bipolar disorder last July. Mr Bell said: "Not unusually for a teenager he is somewhat in denial about what has been diagnosed."

The pair pleaded guilty to two charges of robbery and aggravated taking of a vehicle at an earlier appearance. Both received sentences of 10 years, Davis in prison and Wilson in a young offenders' institution. Wilson was also sentenced to a further four-and-a-half years for a street robbery in Whitmore Reans.

The 18-year-old father-of-three was arrested in Derbyshire in October after a four-month police manhunt.

While at large, police labelled him one of the region's most wanted men.

Wilson, of Doxey, Stafford, was locked up at Wolverhampton Crown Court this week along with co-accused Aston Davis, 21, of Bath Road, Worcester.

The pair pleaded guilty to two charges of robbery and aggravated vehicle taking at an earlier appearance.

Both received sentences of 10 years and Wilson, formerly of Sedgley, was given a further four-and-a-half years for a street robbery in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, in May 2013 – an offence he was on bail for when he committed the later crimes last summer.

On August 7, 2014, he and Davis robbed two Tipton homes, the first belonging to a 66-year-old woman who was home alone.

Judge Amjad Nawaz said: "At about 3.20pm two men attended her house, forced their way in and effectively manhandled her – leaving her with some injuries. She was left psychologically frightened."

Just minutes later, the pair forced their way into another woman's house.

"Armed with knives, using violence, demanding to know where the safe keys were, demanding keys to the car – you must have left each one of those ladies frightened out of their wits," Judge Nawaz continued. "When they told you they did not know where the keys were you told them you had been watching. All of this indicates to me this was a planned series of robberies."

The Whitmore Reans robbery took place on May 13, 2013. Wilson carried out the attack with his brother, who previously pleaded guilty to the crime. Judge Nawaz said: "You, Mr Wilson, committed the offence of robbery along with your brother. That was a street robbery in the afternoon. You accosted the victim and you were armed with a brick."

Davis was sent to prison and Wilson to a young offenders' institution.