The ‘ugly’ incident was described as ‘anarchy’ and ‘almost mob rule’ by a judge who added: ‘What you should not have done was get involved in this’
Thomas Fearnley-Farrell and Alex-Jade Slaney have been sentenced at Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)
Two people took advantage of frightening scenes of “mob rule” and “anarchy” when the home of a suspected sex offender was targeted when “the blood was up”. The vulnerable man’s door was broken down after the “angry mob” launched an “ugly” confrontation.
The police quickly had to move the man out of the house to safety and that allowed the opportunist couple to steal items from his home, Hull Crown Court heard. Alex-Jade Slaney, 29, and Thomas Fearnley-Farrell, 30, both of Cyprus Street, east Hull, admitted burglary on June 18 last year.
Stephen Welch, prosecuting, said that a man was in his home when two women started banging on his front door and calling him a paedophile. The police were called and four officers stayed there for about an hour.
“A large crowd had gathered,” said Mr Welch. The police took the decision to remove the man for his own safety. Slaney and Fearnley-Farrell had entered the premises wielding a long pole.
Slaney was carrying a TV and a strimmer and Fearnley-Farrell was carrying something else from the man’s home.
The police returned and a TV, garden strimmer, sound bar and a power charger were recovered. They were identified as property that had been stolen from the man’s home.
A hole had been made in the back door and the repair costs for this were just under £1,000. The door had to be replaced. “That was the means of entry,” said Mr Welch.
It was most likely that the pole was used to smash in the door, added Mr Welch. During police interview, Slaney made full and frank admissions to burglary but she did not accept forcing entry.
Fearnley-Farrell denied any knowledge of the burglary but he eventually admitted putting the strimmer inside the house. Both had no previous convictions. The stolen property was recovered.
The man who lived there later said that the incident had a massive impact on him and he had to live in temporary accommodation. “This was the targeting of a vulnerable victim, someone who had been forced from his home by an angry mob,” said Mr Welch.
Oliver Shipley, mitigating, said that the incident was part of a wider disorder. “I think the less said, the soonest mended,” said Mr Shipley. “It’s an ugly offence.” Slaney looked after two children.
Judge Richard Woolfall said: “It was almost mob rule. It was anarchy. The blood was up. Both of you let your emotions get the better of you on that day.”
It was the job of the courts to punish people for offences. “What you should not have done was get involved in this and go into his house and take things,” said Judge Woolfall.
“The court imposes the punishment whether you like it or not. That’s how it is. You have learned from this experience.
“You are both obviously sorry, embarrassed and remorseful for what you have done. It’s clear that he was a vulnerable victim and there was a mob turned up.
“The police had to remove him from the area and his property was left there, vulnerable. Quite a large amount of damage was done to that property in entering it.”
Slaney and Fearnley-Farrell were each given a 16-month suspended prison sentence, with no requirements. They will both have to pay a £187 victims’ surcharge.
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