Crime Solicitors

A career burglar has been sentenced to four years and one month in jail and his accomplice daughter given a two-year suspended sentence, after Southwark Crown Court heard how they worked together to steal property from homes where the father posed as a decorator.

Patrick Bunting, 54, from Norbury and his 34-year-old daughter Nikisha Rowe – a mother-of-two – were convicted of conspiracy to commit burglary.

The court heard that Bunting posed as a decorator and targeted properties in Kensington and Chelsea, where he stole jewellery – fleeing in his daughter’s waiting Mercedes.

The prosecution told the court that Bunting would enter or attempt to enter properties with the defence, if challenged, that he was looking for work – or that he was working at the property as a painter and decorator.

The court heard that on two occasions in 2014, Bunting was “scared off” by staff at properties in Eaton Square, south London – and fled in his daughter’s car, which she had parked nearby.

However, they remained in the area and were later seen trying to steal items from two properties in Little Boltons, the Evening Standard reports.

In November 2014, the pair were arrested after a police surveillance team followed them as they drove round central London. Police officers saw Rowe drive her father to the Holland Park area of west London and he was seen entering flats in Melbury Road, although he did not steal anything.

The pair then drove to Phillimore Gardens in Kensington.

When they made their getaway, they threw empty jewellery boxes from the speeding Mercedes. Bunting was later arrested in the London jewellery quarter, Hatton Garden, in Holborn.

His daughter remained in the Mercedes, but officers found she had a large amount of foreign currency in her lap.

Her father was found with several items of jewellery on him, including, watches, rings, necklaces and bracelets.

The couple were given bail – but returned to Thurloe Square in South Kensington, where Bunting stole £51,000-worth of jewellery in a seven-minute raid.

After this burglary, Bunting was identified from CCTV footage and he and his daughter were-rearrested.

The court heard that he had 41 convictions for theft and related offences, which dated back to the 1970s.

As well as a suspended sentence, Nikisha Rowe was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.


Duncan Lewis Crime Lawyers

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