Violent trio’s jail terms hiked after machete robbery in Bristol takeaway
Three violent men who terrorised a Bristol takeaway and robbed two victims have had their jail sentences toughened following a Solicitor General crackdown.
Machete threats and brutal beatings
On 18 February 2023, Jack Walker, Abdifatah Sharif, and Billy Madden stormed a Stockton Croft takeaway with their faces covered. They demanded car keys from a man before savagely punching him in the face and head. Walker brandished a large machete to threaten the victim. The crooks stole £3,000 cash, €400, the man’s passport, a silver ring, and sunglasses from his bag, before fleeing the scene.
Violence continues on electric scooter victim
Just 30 minutes later, Walker struck again, targeting a man riding an electric scooter. He punched him, threatened stabbing, and made off with the victim’s bag and his £600 scooter.
Justice steps in: Sentences upped on appeal
Initially sentenced on 18 August 2023, Madden got 24 months for robbery, while Walker and Sharif also received prison terms. But Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC MP called the original sentences “unduly lenient” given the trio’s violent brutality.
On 10 November, the Court of Appeal agreed, extending Walker’s sentence to five years, Sharif’s to three years and four months, and Madden’s to two years and 10 months. Tomlinson said the toughened sentences send a clear message: violent offenders will be hunted down and locked up to keep the public safe.
Unduly Lenient Sentences scheme bites
The increases follow a referral under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, allowing the Solicitor General to push for harsher punishments in cases where initial jail terms are deemed too soft for the crimes committed.
