Thugs batter dog with crowbar in home raid

Hooded raiders forced their way into a woman's house before battering her pet dog with a crowbar and fleeing in her car, a court was told.

Teenage tearaway Kenneth Bristow was among four raiders who burst into the house in Lanesfield, Wolverhampton, three days after Christmas.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard yesterday that they punched their victim in the face when she answered the front door before forcing their way inside where her friend was with her pet dog.

Prosecutor Mr Geoffrey Dann said the dog started whining and was twice hit hard with the crowbar by one of the gang.

The raiders took a computer, credit cards, cash and the keys to the Nissan car that was parked outside the house in Parkfields. It was then used to escape.

Two hours later another car failed to stop for police, and was pursued into the All Saints area where it was abandoned.

The court heard Bristow, 18, was detained while Simon Murphy, aged 22, was traced to a house in nearby Granville Close where the keys to the stolen Nissan were discovered.

Two months earlier Bristow and Alexander Turner had been among people who broke into a house in Parkfield Road, Parkfields.

Bristow was given bail and a week later was found in the street with £500 worth of cannabis in bags, £180 and three mobile phones. He was bailed before being held in custody after the December 28 robbery.

Recorder Mr Michael Wasik said: "This was a serious robbery during which both women suffered serious trauma."

Bristow, from Granville Close, admitted robbery, burglary and possessing drugs with intent to supply and was given five years youth custody. Murphy, 22, of Tuxford Close, Springfield, pleaded guilty to robbery and was jailed for four years. Turner, aged 19, for Bewdley Drive, East Park, admitted burglary and received a community order under supervision for 18 months with 160 hours unpaid work.