Three Convicted in Shocking Hit Plot on Ex-Cage Fighter Paul Allen
Murder Plot Laid Bare at Woolwich Crown Court
Three men have been found guilty of trying to murder Paul Allen, the former cage fighter better known for his role in Britain’s largest cash heist—the £54 million Securitas robbery in Kent.
Louis Ahearne, 36, his brother Stewart Ahearne, 46, both from Greenwich, and Daniel Kelly, 46, with no fixed address, stood accused of orchestrating a brutal attack that left Allen paralysed for life after a shooting in 2019.
Cold-Blooded Ambush in Woodford Green
The chilling plot unfolded on July 11, 2019. The trio installed a tracker on Allen’s car, conducted surveillance, and travelled from southeast London to his rented home in Woodford Green. That evening, six shots were fired through his kitchen windows and doors, hitting Allen in the neck as he stood inside.
Despite the savage assault, Allen survived but was left paralysed. Police branded the attack a “defined attempt to take a man’s life.”
DNA, CCTV and Forensics Snare the Hit Squad
- DNA from a garden fence linked Kelly and Louis Ahearne to the crime scene.
- Ballistic tests tied bullet casings to a Glock handgun with a laser sight recovered from Kelly’s address.
- CCTV footage showed the hire car used in the attack, arranged by Stewart Ahearne.
Stewart waited in the car during the shooting, while the other two fired the shots.
After the guilty verdict, Stewart Ahearne told the court: “You are only human. That’s all I have to say about that.”
Criminal Empire Spans from Geneva to Hong Kong
The court also heard the trio’s involvement in a £2.7 million break-in at the Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva, where they stole valuable Ming dynasty antiques weeks before the shooting.
The priceless artefacts—including a 14th-century An Huan phoenix bowl and a 15th-century “chicken cup”—were taken to Hong Kong in a failed bid to flog them. Stewart was caught red-handed in October 2020 trying to sell one stolen item to an undercover cop at a London hotel.
Paul Allen: From Infamous Robber to Shooting Victim
Allen, a career criminal, landed 18 years in prison in 2009 for masterminding the Securitas robbery—a violent £54 million cash heist in Tonbridge, Kent. Much of the loot was never recovered. After release, he moved to Woodford Green but never escaped his dangerous past.
Sentencing Looms as Police Praise Investigation
All three men remain in custody. Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC will hand down sentences at the Old Bailey on April 25.
Detective Superintendent Matt Webb, Metropolitan Police, said: “This was a horrific and calculated attempt to take a man’s life. The court heard how the defendants made significant preparations to ensure their attack was successful. I hope these convictions send a clear message: serious and organised violence will not go unpunished.”
Public Eyes Back on Britain’s Biggest Heist
The case has reignited interest in the notorious Securitas robbery and its long shadow over the criminal underworld. This upcoming sentencing is expected to deliver heavy jail terms for the three convicted men.
