Jack Walker, of Yate, Abdifatah Sharif, of Easton, and Billy
Madden, of Hartcliffe, saw their sentences increase after the
Solicitor General referred their sentences to the Court of Appeal
as being unduly lenient.
The court heard that on 18 February 2023, the three men entered a
takeaway on Stockton Croft with their faces hidden. The trio
approached a man demanding the keys to his car before violently
attacking him.
They repeatedly punched the victim in the face and head before
Jack Walker threatened him with a large machete. The men left the
takeaway with the victim’s bag, which contained £3,000, €400, his
passport, a silver ring, and a pair of sunglasses.
Thirty minutes later, Walker targeted a second victim, who was
riding an electric scooter. Walker punched the victim in the
face and threatened to stab him before taking the victim’s bag
and scooter worth £600.
The Solicitor General, KC MP, said:
The level of violence and brutality used by these men in this
case was particularly heinous.
The courts have quite rightfully increased their sentences and I
hope it send a clear message that we will pursue violent
offenders through the court to protect the public from harm.
Walker, Sharif and Madden were sentenced on 18 August 2023 at
Bristol Crown Court after pleading guilty
Walker was sentenced to 20-month’s imprisonment for two counts of
robbery and one count of possessing a bladed article. Sharif was
sentenced to 26 months’ imprisonment for one robbery offences and
possession of class A drugs. Madden was sentenced to 24 months’
imprisonment for one offence of robbery.
On Friday 10 November, the Court of Appeal increased Walker’s
sentence to five years imprisonment, Sharif’s to three years and
four months imprisonment and Madden’s to two years and 10 months
imprisonment.
The trio’s sentences were referred under the Unduly Lenient
Sentence scheme.
