Robbery Rapist’s Sentence Hiked to 13½ Years After Appeal
A violent thug jailed for nine years has had his sentence slammed up to 13 years and six months following an appeal at the Royal Courts of Justice on 24 May.
David Blyth, 30, from Romford Road, E7, was initially locked up at Snaresbrook Crown Court in March for a series of brutal robberies targeting lone women in Stratford and Forest Gate.
Knightmare On the Streets: 11 Knife-Point Robberies
Blyth’s crime spree stretched from July to August 2018, with 11 offences committed. The victims, women aged 26 to 48, were held at knifepoint as he stole their vehicles.
The North East CID cracked the case with forensic evidence, witness interviews, and hours of CCTV footage. Blyth was caught after cops spotted him on camera matching victim descriptions.
Repeat Offender with a Violent Past
Not new to crime, Blyth was released from prison just days before his latest spree. He’d been locked up for a similar knife-point robbery of a woman in 2015.
Arrested on 4 September 2018, Blyth admitted to being caught on CCTV at the scene of one robbery. Police charged him with 11 robberies after further investigations.
Guilty Pleas Lead to Hiked Sentence
Blyth pleaded guilty to 10 counts of robbery on 7 January 2019, then added an 11th on 1 February. The appeal judges agreed the original sentence was too lenient, increasing it significantly.
The new sentence: 13 years and six months behind bars plus four years on licence. The judge made it clear: violent, knife-wielding criminals won’t get off lightly.
