Holloway hammer burglary pair sentenced

Two burglars who left a dad with a fractured skull after carrying out an “audacious and terrifying” raid have been jailed for a total of 16 years.

Timothy Welch, 29, of Islington, and Patrick Brennan, 20, of Finsbury, armed themselves with a hammer and screamed that they were police before bursting into the house in Blundell Street, off Caledonian Road, Holloway, on April 1.

Victim Terry Maher, 52, who was at home with his wife and teenage son at the time, was left with a depressed fracture of the skull which has left long-term physical and psychological effects. The robbers fled with a handbag belonging to his wife.

Welch, of Aberdeen Road, plotted the burglary after briefly dating the victim’s daughter, and claimed in court to believe Mr Maher was a drug dealer. He had been released from prison on licence three months earlier after serving a sentence for robbing a cash in transit van.

Judge Aidan Marron QC said: “In my judgement this was a planned attack.

“You were both armed with a weapon. The purpose of the hammer was to commit an audacious aggravated burglary, where you expected substantial sums to be gained because of the perception you had about Mr Maher and his drug activities.

“You burst into the home and you engaged in absolutely terrifying violence. It was your intention to terrify and you achieved that without difficulty.”

Judge Marron handed Welch an eight and-a-half year jail sentence, to run alongside the remainder of his earlier sentence. Brennan, of Old Street, was given seven and-a-half years.

Welch admitted aggravated burglary and common assault. Brennan denied aggravated burglary but was found guilty.

Both denied causing Mr Maher grievous bodily harm with intent and were cleared.

Brennan was also cleared of a further charge of common assault.