About this deal
On 27 September at Maidstone Crown Court, both were found guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery, and having an article with a blade or point. Spain was sentenced to 6 years’ imprisonment, and Hanratty was sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment.
For a person charged with an offence under section 141(1A) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 of possession of a curved sword in private to show that a)the person was a Sikh at the time the offence is alleged to have been committed and possessed the sword for the purpose only of presenting it to another person at a religious ceremony or other ceremonial event, or (b)the sword was presented to the person by a Sikh at a religious ceremony or other ceremonial event. Complaints about our officers and investigations are taken extremely seriously and, when upheld, they are dealt with in line with the Independent Office for Police Conduct's Statutory guidance.These guidelines specify a range of penalties if found guilty of possession of a bladed article. The courts are increasingly imposing harsher and longer sentences for those people convicted or pleading guilty to offences involving knives or offensive weapons.
Prosecutors should be alert to the possibility of gang offending in a wide range of cases, including those involving offensive weapons, knives, bladed or pointed articles [and corrosive substances]. Prosecutors should refer to the Decision making in Gang Related Offences guidance.
Opening Options
If pleading not guilty and the offence is a first offence, the starting points and category ranges will be: Harm