Powys Co-op petrol station burglars from Liverpool jailed

David Garland and Troy Hackett appeared for sentencing at Mold Crown Court on Friday (June 7) along with their getaway driver Paula Richardson after pleading guilty to burglary on August 19, 2023, and conspiracy to commit burglary between August 14 and 16, 2023.

During the early hours of Saturday, August 19, an intruder alarm was triggered at the Co-op petrol station near Builth Wells. When police arrived at the scene, they found cash boxes had been forced open behind the till.

CCTV recorded the two Liverpool men entering the Co-op a little before 1.50am with crowbars and removing cash bags before leaving at 1.52am and walking towards a car parked at the opposite petrol station.

The court heard that the trio were stopped at 4am in Widnes, near Liverpool, with £13,125 in cash.

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Prosecuting barrister Megan Jones said that while police investigated the Builth Wells burglary, "identical hallmarks and features" revealed that the defendants were part of an organised crime group targeting Co-op stores across north Wales and north-west England including Gateley, Halifax, Chapel-En-Le-Frith, and two attempted burglaries in Prestatyn and Shrewsbury's Wenlock Road store.

Hackett's barrister told the court that the dad-of-two apologised for his actions and accepted he made mistakes.

"He is acutely aware of his responsibility to his two young sons," Mr O'Brien said.  "In his words, 'My two boys need their dad'.

"He accepts that he’s let his boys and family down. He intends to knuckle down and lead a law-abiding life."

Tabitha Walker, acting on behalf of Garland, said the 46-year-old will be the sole carer of his mother who has lung cancer when he is released from prison.

"He says he has been stupid, and his actions were a slip up and that he was not dealing well with the death of his brother. His family commitments are a drive for post custody."

Representing the getaway driver Paula Richardson, barrister Charles Lander told the court that putting the single mum-of-four in prison would be "disastrous" for her children.

"This defendant was clearly in a very low place because issues from before in her life led to her association with the co-defendants," he said.

"She knows she’s brought this on by herself and has let everyone down by taking part in these serious offences. Without a doubt immediate custody would have a severe impact on others."

Paula Richardson appeared for sentencing at Mold Crown Court while her co-defendants Troy Hackett and David Garland appeared via video link from HMP Berwyn.

Sentencing the trio, His Honour Judge Simon Mills said: “Three of you were caught not quite red handed but cash was found in the car on what I take is likely a journey back home.

“I stress weapons were not carried out by this conspiracy group; they brought with them tools in order to commit the offences.

“Locations like this when a Co-op is burgled, it deprives the public albeit for some short time of usage. They are important local resources.

“Also in your case, this has gone on far too long at no fault of your own. We’ve had absented hearings where you’ve hoped to be sentenced. There has been confusion about this and the other. None of it was your fault and all you did was plead guilty.

“Both of you have a significant number of convictions. Mr Hackett, sadly you have been a third strike burglar for a long time specifically for dwellings. Mr Garland, because you’re older you have more convictions. The standout is the long sentence in 2006. I stress that this case is not at or near that high level of seriousness.

“Ms Richardson, you are in a different position you were the driver. You were persuaded to get involved in this offending. You were working for a wage or fee. You played a lesser role.

“You’ve clearly been suffering mental health problems while this has gone on. You’ve made the effort to make the substantial journey to Merthyr [for court hearings]. If people don’t want to go to Merthyr, they shouldn’t commit crime down there. I’m not overly impressed by that, but I recognise the length of cooperation with court procedures.

"I’ve come to that conclusion that your role combined with very significant mitigation does not resort immediate custody. I find it would be unjust in these very particular and exceptional circumstances to activate that suspended sentence order although it will be in place for as long as necessary. You’ve already had a significant restriction on your liberty.

Garland, who has 35 convictions for 52 offences including for robbery and burglary, and his accomplice Hackett, who has 17 convictions for 39 offences including a number of dwelling burglaries, were both jailed for 21 months.

Richardson, who committed the burglary while on a suspended sentence order, was given a two-year community order with 20 rehabilitation requirement days and 150 unpaid work hours.