Cops seized a disposable camera when they arrested Kane Barratt. One of the pictures taken on it showed him posing behind the wheel of a stolen, almost new Audi A4 cabriolet.
The evidence helped nail the 20-year-old as the leader of a gang behind a vicious six-week crime spree across Greater Manchester.
Barratt, a father-of-two, has now been handed an indeterminate sentence for the public protection and was told he would serve a minimum of five-and-half years behind bars before he can be considered for parole.
He smiled to friends in the public gallery as he was led away from Manchester Crown Court to begin his sentence.
Judge Martin Rudland
There is a breath-taking context of a nihilistic and amoral underworld
His gang was behind 16 crimes in just six weeks in Stockport and Middleton.
Barratt, of Heathland Terrace, Stockport, claimed he embarked on the crime spree to pay back an underworld debt and claimed there was a 'bounty' on his head.
He pleaded guilty to two robberies and three burglaries.
Judge Martin Rudland described one of the robberies, where a family was held at knife-point at their home in Gatley, as 'shocking' and told the defendant: "There is a breath-taking context of a nihilistic and amoral underworld where bounties are put on heads and where no form of restraint is exercised by anyone in the subculture in which you were operating."
His criminal campaign started almost as soon as he was released from another long prison sentence.
First, he led a masked gang armed with knives and including a machete into a house in Gatley, taking a Subaru Impreza and Vauxhall Vectra parked on the drive.
A knife was held to the terrified householder's throat while his two adult children hid in the bathroom. The Vectra later crashed and four robbers fled.
Barratt's DNA was found in the car.
Some 11 days later his gang raided Waitrose supermarket in Cheadle Hulme, going on a wrecking spree before fleeing with thousands of cigarettes.
Three weeks later his gang burgled a house on Green Lane, Heaton Norris, while the occupants were out.
The gang stole an almost new Audi A4 cabriolet from the drive and then slapped fake number plates on it.
When Barratt was eventually arrested, cops seized a disposable camera from him and found a picture of him posing with the Audi. His fingerprints were also found on the car.
Five days after the Heaton Norris raid, the gang was at it again, breaking into a home on Lanark Avenue, Northenden, while the householders were out, taking a laptop computer, cheque books as well as a Toyota Yaris and Mazda RX8 parked on the drive.
On the same day the gang was behind another robbery, spraying a man in the face with acid and taking his £5,000 Rolex watch and BlackBerry as he made his way home along Claremont Road, Cheadle Hulme.
Five other members of the gang were also jailed. Mark Bresnahan, 26, of Bempton Close, Offerton, was jailed for 22 months after he admitted two counts of burglary.
Anthony Sampson, 23, of Clwyd Avenue, Edgeley, was caged for four years after he pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary, attempted burglary and handing stolen goods.
Paul Shaw, 23, of Kirkstone Road, Middleton, was jailed for four years after he admitted three counts of burglary. The court heard he had rarely been out of prison since the age of 17 and had 'walked out' of an open prison where he was serving time for drugs offences to take part in the crime spree.
Christopher Carroll, 19, of Yewdale Drive, Middleton, was sent to Young Offenders' Institution for 16 months after he pleaded guilty to burglary, theft and even an attempted robbery on his 18th birthday.
Simon Carr, 19, of York Road East, Middleton, was sent to a Young Offenders' Institution for 16 months after he admitted theft, handling stolen goods and dangerous driving.
After the hearing, Det Sgt Melani Linton said: "Today's result is the culmination of a lot of hard work from officers all over the force.
"The victims were terrorised by a group who showed that they were willing to threaten violence to get what they wanted.
"This was a crime spree undertaken by an organised group of robbers. We would, however, like to reassure all of our communities that we have caught up with these offenders and that they now face a lengthy time behind bars.
"This result will, I am sure, send a strong message to anyone who tries to commit similar crimes.
"Greater Manchester Police is committed to safeguarding people from criminals such as these who do not hesitate to threaten people with violence to achieve their aims." Tweet
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scum
There is definately something in this ear thing. look at some of the doozies on this lot.
Scum
ears
I know one of the victims of this gang and the trauma caused by their actions will affect him and his family a lot longer than 16 months, the sentence most of the gang were given.
Am sure Manchester University should do some research into the ear theory, seems to be almost infallible.
Yet another pathetic sentence, when will the Judges wake up, this piece of vermin should have got 20 years , that way he would at least have the time to digest the sentence. We need USA Style sentences here and fast.
As a former Special Constable in Stockport for 5 years I came across Mr Barratt many a time. It's about time this silly little boy was put away. I bet that smirk won't last long once his barrister tells him 5 years is the MINIMUM he'll spend in prison on a IPP sentence. A 'plastic' gangster if ever there was one.
Ears, again! Yes, there should be more research in to this phenomenon! As for smirking Kane, he should understand that he could well stay in prison for 5 and half, 6 or even 20 years depending on how he conducts himself inside. I bet he isn't smirking now.
As from midnight tonight,i propose any newborn with large sticky out ears should be taken from the maternity ward and put straight into a prison cell, and kept there until this theory on jugheads and criminality can be proved to be flawed beyond any reasonable doubt.
5 and a half years? four years, 16 months? No wonder the country is a laughing stock to the criminal gangs and the rest of Europe.
I would of given each one of them a ten year stretch with absolutley NO EARLY release. get 10, serve 10. Also I would introduce work gangs, maybe and maybe only then will these vile parasitic thieving little boys learn how to live in a modern society.
As long as We have the polititions that We have then im afraid nothing will ever change, sadly.
Jug ears and skinheads
What a clown?
There is also obviously a direct correlation between the length of your neck and a lack of intelligence. The second photo is a gem. The scumbag appears to be looking in a mirror and is surprised by his own look of stupidity. None of them look particularly bright! let them rot. They seem already half way there.
These ears are definately an indicator of criminality. Only 20 and been been at it all his life no doubt. Give him hard labour.
Mark Bresnahan is my cousin, even though he is family, I have no sympathy for him.
5 years what a joke half these judge's need putting behind bars even if it's only long enough to realise that these sentences are a joke,5 years for all the crime he's commited,shame about the ear's are all criminals born with ears like that,
This lot could start their own airline without any need for planes
The ears strike again! i deffo think research is needed in this area.
Maybe if prisons were what they are meant to be -rather than soft hotels for vandals - then these idiots may get a pang of fear at being sent down. Throw em in dungeons - bread and water only, with rats as freinds. Then MAYBE they will think twice about committing crimes.
What a bunch of nomads!They all look the same. Is this how the subhumans of our society are beginning to take shape? We'll have to do something with them. Surely England must have an Island out there somewhere, where we can drop them off and leave them to eat each other. The prisons are not able to handle them, thats why the sentences are so leniant. They have to be moved on to make room for the next batch of repeat offenders.
How fortunate can Barratt be. He will now be nice and safe for at least 5 years from those 'nasty people' that have put a price on his head. Which we all know was the only reason he has committed these crimes (oh yeah).
Enjoy your holiday Kane.
Aged 20 and a father of 2 already !!!!!! dohhhhhhhhhhhh just shows what our society is like nowadays !!!!, not only should this piece of detrius be locked up for far longer than the term given, he should be surgically prevented from fathering more offspring when he is let out .... after all, he will never get a job will he ???, so it will be left for our taxes to pay for his benefits !!!!!
5.5 years?! This sniggering idiot and others like him should never walk free. It'll all happen again, or worse, in 5.5 years time. How the h*ll can a Dad be this kind of person? If Fatherhood hasn't straightened him out then nothing will!
I some times wonder where these half witt thugs come from, do they have parents? or do they just arrive on this earth from the depths of hell.