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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Three cleared over Securitas raid | Three cleared over Securitas raid |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Three women have been cleared of allegations relating to Britain's biggest cash robbery after prosecutors dropped charges against them. | Three women have been cleared of allegations relating to Britain's biggest cash robbery after prosecutors dropped charges against them. |
| Kim Shackleton, 40, Raluca Millen, 27, and Katie Philp, 24, were girlfriends of convicted Securitas robbers Stuart Royle, Jetmir Bucpapa and Lea Rusha. | Kim Shackleton, 40, Raluca Millen, 27, and Katie Philp, 24, were girlfriends of convicted Securitas robbers Stuart Royle, Jetmir Bucpapa and Lea Rusha. |
| They had faced charges over their alleged roles in the £53m raid in Tonbridge, Kent, in February last year. | They had faced charges over their alleged roles in the £53m raid in Tonbridge, Kent, in February last year. |
| Mr Justice Penry-Davey entered not guilty verdicts against them on Monday. | Mr Justice Penry-Davey entered not guilty verdicts against them on Monday. |
| Charges denied | Charges denied |
| The hearing in the High Court cleared the women of alleged involvement in the planning and aftermath of the raid. | The hearing in the High Court cleared the women of alleged involvement in the planning and aftermath of the raid. |
| Royle, Bucpapa and Rusha were given indeterminate prison sentences with a minimum of 15 years at the Old Bailey in January after being convicted on kidnap, robbery and firearms charges. | Royle, Bucpapa and Rusha were given indeterminate prison sentences with a minimum of 15 years at the Old Bailey in January after being convicted on kidnap, robbery and firearms charges. |
| Jurors were told how Securitas manager Colin Dixon, his wife, Lynn, and their young child were kidnapped by the robbery gang to gain entry to the depot. | Jurors were told how Securitas manager Colin Dixon, his wife, Lynn, and their young child were kidnapped by the robbery gang to gain entry to the depot. |
| Hairdresser Ms Shackleton of Allen Street, Maidstone, Kent had denied assisting an offender when she appeared at the Old Bailey in March 2007. | Hairdresser Ms Shackleton of Allen Street, Maidstone, Kent had denied assisting an offender when she appeared at the Old Bailey in March 2007. |
| None of these defendants have tried to dismiss the cases laid against them and therefore accept that they have a case to answer | |
| Prosecutor David Jeremy | |
| Sales assistant Katie Philp, of Hadlow Road, Tonbridge, and warehouse worker Ms Millen of Dudley Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, had denied conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to kidnap and possessing firearms. | Sales assistant Katie Philp, of Hadlow Road, Tonbridge, and warehouse worker Ms Millen of Dudley Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, had denied conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to kidnap and possessing firearms. |
| Prosecutor David Jeremy told the court on Monday that Ms Philp's alleged role had been to buy make-up used for prosthetic disguises for the robbers, and to help apply it, as well as to provide a false alibi for her boyfriend Rusha. | |
| Ms Shackleton, the court heard, was said to have helped dispose of cash cages taken from the Securitas depot. | |
| Ms Millen was accused of filming the Dixons' address in a reconnaissance of the property in Herne Bay, Kent. | |
| "All three could be described as secondary parties who assisted the robbers both before and after the robbery," said Mr Jeremy. | |
| But he said that at the end of the Old Bailey trial, prosecutors decided to reassess the case against them. | |
| Because all three were girlfriends of the robbers they could have told a jury that while they had their suspicions about what they were asked to do, they never knew it was part of an armed kidnap and robbery plot. | |
| Key witness | |
| The evidence of hairdresser Michelle Hogg, who provided make-up for the robbers, had a "particular impact" on the case of Ms Philp, Mr Jeremy said. | |
| Ms Hogg began the trial as a defendant but was cleared after agreeing to give evidence against the others. | |
| She became the key prosecution witness but said that Ms Philp did not know what the make-up was for. | |
| Ms Shackleton's case was most affected by the jury's verdict in relation to John Fowler, who was cleared of helping to plan the robbery. | |
| The jury backed his defence that he was being manipulated by Royle, and such a defence would also be available to Royle's girlfriend, Ms Shackleton. | |
| In the case of Millen, Fowler's acquittal also showed "just how far the bar is" for a jury to be able to infer knowledge of a crime, Mr Jeremy said. | |
| Five men were jailed in January for the £53m Securitas robbery | |
| But he added: "None of these defendants have tried to dismiss the cases laid against them and therefore accept that they have a case to answer. | |
| "Decisions to discontinue in these circumstances are almost always difficult, but the Crown has taken time and care to consider these issues and made the necessary judgments." | |
| In all, six of those initially charged over the robbery have been cleared. | |
| As well as Mr Fowler and Ms Hogg, signwriter Keith Borer was also acquitted at the Old Bailey. | |
| The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said a second trial, due to take place later this year, would proceed against two men charged with conspiracy to rob, kidnap and possessing firearms. | |
| Two other men were jailed in the first trial, which ended on 30 January. | |
| Roger Coutts was also given an indeterminate sentence with a minimum of 15 years, while Emir Hysenaj was jailed for 20 years, to serve a minimum of 10 years. | |
| Both were convicted of kidnap, robbery and firearms charges. |