Four ‘dangerous’ teenagers jailed for total of 42 years
During one incident, a man had his nose sliced off with a machete in London Colney
Four teenagers who "inflicted violence and fear" during a series of knife point offences across St Albans and London Colney have been sentenced.
The defendants were convicted on 22 July of conspiracy to commit Section 18 grievous bodily harm (GBH) and conspiracy to rob between 9 December, 2019, and 30 September, 2020.
During one incident, a man had his nose sliced off with a machete.
They were sentenced to a total of 42 years in prison - with three of them receiving 12 years imprisonment with a further five years on licence.
They are:
-Kai Henry-Smith, aged 18, of Maynard Drive in St Albans
Henry-Smith previously pleaded guilty to a section 18 wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article (machete) that happened in Grindcobbe in St Albans on 4 November, 2020. His sentence will run concurrently.
-Harley Kavanagh, aged 17, of Willoughby Court in London Colney.
-Issac Wallace-Greaves, aged 18, of Cottonmill Crescent in St Albans.
The offences covered in the conspiracy charge are:
-A GBH and robbery on 9 December, 2019, in York Road in St Albans
-A robbery on 21 December, 2019, in Artisan Crescent in St Albans
-A GBH in Cotlandswick in London Colney, where a man in his 20s had his nose sliced off with a machete, on 13 January, 2020
-A robbery in Sainsbury’s in London Colney on 23 September, 2020.
The fourth teenager, Kobi Nelson, aged 19, of De Parys Avenue in Bedford, received a six-year custodial sentence for the robbery in Artisan Crescent.
St Albans Detective Inspector Ady Lysak said:
"These offences were predetermined, organised and executed with the goal of trying to exert their authority over drug operations being run in St Albans.
"This gang were inflicting serious injuries at knife point and stealing from their victims.
"These teenagers were dangerous, not just to others, but also to themselves.
"They arranged drug meets in residential streets armed with machetes and swords, which was seen by families, including children."
The investigation was overseen by Detective Sergeant Tom Evans, who said:
"There was a genuine and significant escalation in violence which was so dramatic that there was a real and significant risk that someone may have been killed.
"We are thrilled that these individuals are now behind bars and that residents in St Albans and London Colney can go about their daily business without the fear of violence hanging over them.
"It was one of the biggest police responses to a series of incidents in St Albans."
The Operation Luge investigation last year drew a huge number of resources from St Albans, including intervention, the Local Crime Unit and Community Safety Unit, Safer Neighbourhood Team with additional county resources to tackle the unprecedented violence in the St Albans district.
Partner agencies including St Albans City and District Council plus the youth offending team were involved in the response.
Detective Sergeant Tom Evans added:
"The investigation was unusual because the indictment is conspiracy (to commit GBH and robbery) rather than a list of charges.
"This was because we were unable to prove which teenager was responsible for the offences, but we knew they were all involved."
Officer in the case, Detective Constable Jody Perrin, said:
"This violence affected the whole of St Albans and London Colney.
"It was complicated as we had unsupportive victims and witnesses, who were petrified to give us any information, whilst drug dealing was happening outside their homes."
The St Albans Police Community Safety Unit applied to St Albans Magistrates for a Criminal Behaviour Order for defendant Wallace-Greaves.
The order was granted and included conditions not to associate with fellow defendants.
Henry-Smith and Kavanagh were issued with a Community Protection Notice which also included conditions not to associate with fellow defendants as well as restrictions on places they could go, including Clarence Park, the Alban Way, Hatfield Road and Granville Road.
Nelson was issued with a Community Protection Warning, which is a precursor to a Community Protection Notice, with similar restrictions.
The boys, who were aged between 16 and 18 at the time of offending, met at school in St Albans.
When sentencing Kavanagh and Wallace-Greaves, HH Judge Richard Foster said:
"You behaved like a savage when you carried out that merciless attack on the victim at Cotlandswick.
"It is hard to understand how one human being can behave in such a way to another.
"The victim suffered devastating injuries.
"These included multiple lacerations from the forehead extending to the back of the head, a fractured skull, the amputation of the tip of his nose….partial amputation of the middle finger and the full amputation of the left ring finger."
He said:
"The armoury of weapons and other items found during the police investigation is truly horrifying, including multiple large knives.
"It took some astute police work to link together a number of what would have seemed initially as separate criminal incidents in this city of St Albans.
"I commend the police investigation team – particularly officer in the case DC Perrin."
St Albans Neighbourhood Inspector Andy Wiseman said:
"There is no place for violence in this district.
"I hope the custodial sentences that these teenagers have been given reassures the community who were unfortunate to witness violence or see weapons in the city during 2020.
"Despite COVID-19 delays, we are determined to bring offenders before the courts and make them accountable for their actions."
Information can be reported online or by speaking to an operator in the Force Communications Room via online web chat.
Alternatively, call the non-emergency number 101.