Pub worker 'masterminds' brutal attack on own manager

Two men struck the young woman as she crossed from the Pheasant pub in Oldbury, Sandwell, West Midlands to a Post Office across the road, and stole thousands of pounds of cash.

The villains ran to a waiting Volkswagen Polo and made off in broad daylight as stunned witnesses raced to the girl’s assistance. 

Police were on the scene in minutes and suspicions were raised by witnesses about a kitchen worker at the pub, who had been on his phone outside at the time of the robbery. 
  
An investigation was launched and officers arrested pub employee Kieran Chana, aged 25, of Eva Road, Oldbury, the next day and keys found in his possession opened a silver VW Polo with the same registration number as that of the getaway car. 

Chana denied involvement, but was was sentenced to five and a half years in prison on Monday (6 June).

'Mastermind'

Police Constable Simon Wasley, from Sandwell’s robbery team, said: "I am pleased that a jury was able to see through Chana’s lies and he has quite justifiably been given a lengthy sentence. 
  
"I have no doubt he was the mastermind behind the robbery, using his insider knowledge to alert the others when the cash was being taken to the post office, with no regard for the safety of his co-worker. 
  
"Fortunately she has recovered from her ordeal with no more than bruising." 

Chana’s accomplices kicked and punched the pub manager to the ground and stole a bag containing several thousands of pounds in cash. 

CCTV  

A search of the Volkswagen Polo revealed several bags of recently purchased clothing in Birmingham and the Merry Hill shopping centre. A CCTV trawl showed Chana and another man making the purchases with large quantities of £20 notes. 
  
An interrogation of Chana’s mobile phone linked him to the same man, who was identified as Ayden Cash, aged 20, of Holland Avenue, Oldbury.

Texts also linked the pair to Robert Brady-Ward, aged 25 of no fixed address and further CCTV evidence linked Colin Talbot, aged 24. of Claremont Street, Cradley Heath. The three men were arrested within days of the offence. 

Guilty  

All four were charged with conspiracy to rob and remanded into custody. Talbot (top), Cash (middle) and Brady-Ward (bottom) pleaded guilty at court, but Chana (left) denied any involvement. A jury, however, thought otherwise and he was convicted on 10 May at Wolverhampton Crown Court after a short trial.

Cash was given three years, Talbot four years and Brady-Ward three years and eight months.