Teenage thugs' reign of terror

Two teenage thugs who inflicted 10 days of violence and robbery on wealthy Jewish residents in the capital are behind bars this week.

Jerome Bingham and Michael Sinclair - who were 17 and 16 when the crimes took place - used imitation guns and a meat cleaver to terrify victims into disclosing PINs and bank account details.

The violent pair threatened to "cut the b**** off " one man, and to return and kill victims if they went to the police.

At the Old Bailey they were each sentenced to eight years in prison, after pleading guilty to a series of robberies and aggravated burglary. Bingham admitted causing actual bodily harm. Today their victims told how they were still traumatised, and one family has left the country.

The crimes took place in Hendon. In court, prosecutor Steven Perion said: "Either by design or by accident [Bingham and Sinclair] targeted victims who were visibly members of the Jewish faith. All were wearing skullcaps and they lived in a very affluent area."

Sentencing the pair, Judge Christopher Moss told them: "You carried out a campaign of robbery in a neighbourhood where you expected rich pickings. You subjected [victims] to an appalling degree of violence, intimidation and fear." The

most recent attack took place on 15 December.

The court heard how the pair approached Jack Young outside his detached home and ordered him into the back seat of his car. He was driven to a bank and the robbers took cash from his account. Mr Perion said: "One put a gun in his mouth and said, 'Do you like this?' The second held a gun to his head."

Bingham and Sinclair then forced their way into Mr Young's house and tied up its three other occupants. "They were shouting they were going to cut our b**** off," one said later. When victim Julian Gilbey tried to disarm a robber he was pistol-whipped and kicked.

Mr Perion said: "[Bingham] boasted about his prowess with knives and guns. He told them not to inform police. He said there was a man who told the police and he was now in a wheelchair."

On 11 December, the thugs had ordered Gavriel Cohen and his friend Malka Zolty into the back of his car, driving to a bank, forcing the pair at gunpoint to reveal their PINs, and robbing them. Later, 24-year-old law student Mr Cohen said: "I'm still nervous about going out, getting into a car, seeing people."

And on the night of 5 December, the robbers confronted Rosalind and Geoffrey Jason in Hendon Park, near their detached home. Mrs Jason, a teacher, screamed as she was threatened with a 10-inch meat cleaver.

She handed over a bracelet, a ring and a Gucci watch. Since the robbery the Jasons have moved to Israel. Bingham and Sinclair were caught after the cars they stole from Mr Cohen and Mr Young were found outside Sinclair's home. When he was arrested he was wearing the ring he stole from Mrs Jason. Bingham's DNA was identified from a sample left on a cola can at Mr Young's home.

Sentencing the pair last Friday, Judge Moss lifted an order banning the naming of Sinclair, now 17, who was charged with six robberies. The court heard he had been virtually abandoned by his parents and had been living in hostels. He had a string of convictions for robbery and violence.

But Bingham, who is now 18 and was charged with eight robberies, had a clean record. Dc John Corkett of Barnet police said: " Bingham's mother is a lovely lady who is heartbroken. It was extremely shocking this young man should become so violent in such a short space of time.

"They used money from robberies to buy things like trainers, jewellery, drugs. Not big expenditure. Just normal bling-bling culture. They were quite prepared to ruin people's lives for that."