Two men, 23 and 24, who forced their victims at gunpoint to open cryptocurrency accounts in a failed bid to siphon off £3,500 are jailed
- Jordan Barrett and Ted Richards stormed into a property in Carlisle, Cumbria
- One of them brandished a starter pistol, while other was armed with a knife
- Brazen pair then took photographs of victims and stole proof of identification
- But attempt to transfer £3,500 online into cryptocurrency account then failed
Two men who held their victims at gunpoint and forced them to open cryptocurrency accounts as part of a failed ploy to siphon off £3,500 have been jailed.
Jordan Barrett, 23, and Ted Richards, 24, stormed into a property while wearing a crash helmet and a mask in Carlisle, Cumbria, on February 10, 2020.
One of them brandished a starter pistol, while the other was armed with a knife as they took photographs of the victims along with proof of their identification.
The brazen pair then used the victims’ personal details as part of an attempt to transfer £3,500 online into a cryptocurrency account.
Barrett and Richards also stole a Microsoft Xbox and an iPhone from the house, before warning the two housemates not to call the police.
They also told the victims to ‘keep their ears open’ as they went on to discharge the pistol in the street.
But their attempt to convert the cash into Bitcoin was foiled when the incident was reported to police. The money transfer also failed to go through as the exchange platform they used had a 24-hour authentication process.
The pair appeared at Carlisle Crown Court for sentencing today, where Judge Nicholas Barker told them they had subjected the victims to a ‘terrifying ordeal’ which lasted more than two hours.
Jordan Barrett, who pleaded guilty to robbery and false imprisonment, was jailed for six years and nine months for the same offences
Ted Richards, of Empire Square, Southwark, London, was also jailed for six years following the sentencing today
When police launched a criminal probe and searched Barrett’s home in Red Bank Square, Carlisle, they discovered the starting pistol (pictured)
Although the weapon used during the incident was not capable of firing a shot, the victims believe it was real and that they were in grave danger, he added.
The background to the robbery was Barrett seeking retribution against a third man who lived at the property, who he believed had dangerously driven a vehicle which led to his girlfriend suffering a serious injury.
Judge Barker told the court that the defendants had pressed on with their revenge mission and had chosen not to stop when they realised their intended target was not home alone.
Both victims have been left suffering from ‘significant heightened anxiety’ following the incident.
When police launched a criminal probe and searched Barrett’s home in Red Bank Square, Carlisle, they discovered the starting pistol.
It had been purchased online for £150 and came with a bullet press for blank shells and blank ammunition.
Neither of the defendants had any previous convictions, insisting that they are remorseful and would not trouble the courts again.
But Richards, of Empire Square, Southwark, London, was jailed for six years today. He earlier pleaded guilty to robbery and false imprisonment.
Barrett, who entered guilty pleas at a later date, was jailed for six years and nine months for the same offences.
Following sentencing, Detective Superintendent Jenny Beattie, of Cumbria Police, said: ‘The determination shown by the investigation team has been unwavering in carrying out the inquires which has led to a successful conviction.
‘The team’s efforts are particularly impressive given the circumstances of how the criminals forced the victims to create cryptocurrency accounts, so they could attempt to evade identification, is believed to be a first to be put before a court in this country.’
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