Brothers and accomplice locked up for deadly hit on ex-cage fighter from UK’s biggest cash heist

Cold-blooded plot to silence Paul Allen

Three men have been slammed with a staggering 99 years behind bars for a ruthless attempt to murder Paul Allen, a former cage fighter linked to the monumental 2006 123 to burgle a gated Kent home.

  • Just a month earlier, the trio nabbed nearly £2.8 million worth of Ming dynasty antiques from a museum in Geneva.
  • They were convicted in Switzerland before being extradited to the UK to face murder conspiracy charges.
  • Judge slams gang’s brutal ambition

    Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC said:

    “The agreement to murder Paul Allen involved others, motivated by the lure of financial gain. The harm caused was devastating. Short of killing him, it could hardly be more serious.”

    Sentences handed down:

    • Louis Ahearne: 33 years
    • Stewart Ahearne: 30 years
    • Daniel Kelly: 36 years

    Community and official outrage

    The attack rocked the Woodford neighbourhood. Despite his criminal past, Allen had been living quietly with his family. London Mayor Sadiq Khan condemned the shooting as a “stark reminder of the brutal world of organised crime inflicting misery on our streets.”

    The Metropolitan Police appealed for anyone with info on further conspirators to come forward.

    Legacy of the Securitas heist lives on

    Allen’s life has been shattered. Once a feared fighter, he now needs round-the-clock care, dependent on others for everything.

    The Securitas depot robbery remains one of Britain’s most notorious crimes — and nearly two decades later, its violent fallout still haunts the nation.

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