Birmingham pair jailed after attacking and robbing elderly man in Solihull
Omar Ali and Ryan Walsh broke into the Solihull home after a night of drinking in March.
Last updated 11th Dec 2024
Two men from Birmingham have been jailed after they attacked and robbed an elderly man in his Solihull home.
Omar Ali, 29, of Druids Lane, Birmingham, and Ryan Walsh, 26, of Holdgate Road, Selly Oak, pleaded guilty to breaking into the home and stealing on 23 March.
They targeted the house in the early hours after a night of heavy drinking. The paid initially got into a taxi after leaving a local pub, but were ejected after an altercation with the driver.
The pair then spotted a car on a driveway and began damaging it.
They then kicked their way into the home and ransacking rooms as they looked for items to steal. They also woke the victim up by flashing a torchlight into his face before attacking him.
A victim impact statement was read in court on behalf of the man. He said that he “still struggled to sleep and was constantly anxious and scared. He said “that the incident would have an effect on him for the rest of his life.”
Ali and Walsh only left once they had the car keys, stealing the car and cash from the house.
Having being caught on CCTV, the pair were arrested and charged. They pleaded guilty last Thursday (5 Dec) and sentenced to seven years and two months in prison.
Detective Inspector Mark Heard, from Solihull Police, said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for this elderly gentleman who was simply asleep at home, a place he should have felt safe.
“My team were committed to making sure Walsh and Ali were brought to justice for this horrific crime, especially when they showed no remorse for the pain and terror they inflicted on this man.
“I really hope this sentence brings some comfort and closure to him and that he can begin to recover from this horrific ordeal.”