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Sadistic robbers jailed for life | Sadistic robbers jailed for life |
(10 minutes later) | |
A gang of armed robbers have been jailed for life for kidnapping people and subjecting them to "sadistic and gratuitous violence". | |
More than a dozen pedestrians and motorists in London were beaten and stripped of their valuables. | More than a dozen pedestrians and motorists in London were beaten and stripped of their valuables. |
London's Wood Green Crown Court heard one man had his arm broken and another was tortured with a cigarette lighter. | London's Wood Green Crown Court heard one man had his arm broken and another was tortured with a cigarette lighter. |
Pedro Frota, 19, Sofian Majera, 22, and Robert Lincoln, 18, all from east London, admitted 17 robberies. | Pedro Frota, 19, Sofian Majera, 22, and Robert Lincoln, 18, all from east London, admitted 17 robberies. |
The court heard they cruised London at night armed with guns, knives and baseball bats looking for victims. | The court heard they cruised London at night armed with guns, knives and baseball bats looking for victims. |
Homophobia and racism | Homophobia and racism |
People they kidnapped were stripped of their valuables and warned they would be tortured or killed unless they handed over their pin numbers. | People they kidnapped were stripped of their valuables and warned they would be tortured or killed unless they handed over their pin numbers. |
Threats ranged from being shot and having their throats slit to their eyes being gouged and being burnt alive. | Threats ranged from being shot and having their throats slit to their eyes being gouged and being burnt alive. |
The jury was told the gang broke the arm of one victim who was so frightened he could not tell his attackers what they wanted to know. | The jury was told the gang broke the arm of one victim who was so frightened he could not tell his attackers what they wanted to know. |
Luis Frota got a four-and-a half year sentence for his part | Luis Frota got a four-and-a half year sentence for his part |
Francis Sheridan, prosecuting, said it was made clear homophobia and racial hatred occasionally played a part in the selection of victims. | Francis Sheridan, prosecuting, said it was made clear homophobia and racial hatred occasionally played a part in the selection of victims. |
In the dock were: Jamaican national Lincoln, 18, from Barking, east London; Rwandan Majera, 22, from nearby Dagenham; and Portuguese national Frota, 19, also from Barking. | In the dock were: Jamaican national Lincoln, 18, from Barking, east London; Rwandan Majera, 22, from nearby Dagenham; and Portuguese national Frota, 19, also from Barking. |
Also before the court was the only gang member to avoid a life sentence. | Also before the court was the only gang member to avoid a life sentence. |
Frota's older brother Luis, 22, got four-and-a-half years for his lesser role. | Frota's older brother Luis, 22, got four-and-a-half years for his lesser role. |
Judge Witold Pawlak told Lincoln, Majera and Pedro Frota they must serve a minimum of seven years before they could be considered for parole. | Judge Witold Pawlak told Lincoln, Majera and Pedro Frota they must serve a minimum of seven years before they could be considered for parole. |
Each of you is addicted to violence and you treated your victims as though they were characters in an arcade game Judge Witold Pawlak | Each of you is addicted to violence and you treated your victims as though they were characters in an arcade game Judge Witold Pawlak |
"Your crimes were usually late at night. You hunted in a pack and your violence was sadistic and gratuitous," the judge told them. | "Your crimes were usually late at night. You hunted in a pack and your violence was sadistic and gratuitous," the judge told them. |
"In fact, each of you is addicted to violence and you treated your victims as though they were characters in an arcade game." | "In fact, each of you is addicted to violence and you treated your victims as though they were characters in an arcade game." |
The offences took place between 31 August and 14 December last year. | The offences took place between 31 August and 14 December last year. |
All four defendants, who have previous convictions, face deportation after their sentences have been served. | All four defendants, who have previous convictions, face deportation after their sentences have been served. |