Mother who "betrayed son" jailed for PC World robbery (From Sutton Guardian)

Mother Mina Bradley who "betrayed son" jailed for PC World robbery

6:00pm Friday 26th October 2012 in News By Tom Barnes

 A trusted employee who manipulated her son into helping her mastermind a robbery at PC World Kingston has been jailed for seven years.

Assistant manager Mina Bradley, 52, pressured her son, Anthony Bradley, also an employee, into finding “gunmen” to rob the Fife Road store on January 16 in an error-strewn raid.

Kingston Crown Court heard how Anthony Bradley, 22, who was sentenced to three years in jail for his role, succumbed to “mummy pressure”, and recruited Michael Ward, 20, who was sentenced to five years, and another unidentified accomplice.

When they were arrested, Ward and Anthony Bradley admitted their guilt, but the mother-of-three continued to deny involvement in the raid, until she realised her son planned to testify against her.

Recorder James Roberts said it was “regrettable in the extreme” that Bradley had involved her son, describing her as the “chief instigator and planner”.

Handing the prison term to Mina Bradley, of Marion Court, Robin Hood Way, Sutton, on October 19, Mr Roberts said: “You used your trusted position at this shop to steal a large sum of money, putting staff through a dreadful experience.

“They were the real victims, who, not knowing this was an inside job, believed their lives were at risk.”

Detective Constable Matt Benedict of Barnes flying squad said Bradley abused her position as assistant manager and betrayed her son by involving him.

He said: “Mina Bradley, in particular, played a pivotal role in the planning and organisation of this robbery.

“As a mother, she betrayed her son, manipulating him until he was forced to execute her plans.

“Michael Ward displayed his ruthlessness when he and his accomplice traumatised staff and subjected them to a terrifying ordeal.”

The court heard how Mina Bradley handed over security information to the robbers including when the store was holding the most cash, as well as using her influence to change staff rotas.

The robbers threatened staff with an imitation sub-machine gun, making off with nearly £38,000 in cash and then fleeing from the scene separately.

Ward, described in court as “not a deep thinker”, was spotted shortly after dumping robbery gear, including a hooded top later matched with his DNA, in a skip just two miles from the scene of the crime.

A Vauxhall Vectra registered to his father was later found in Anne Boleyn Terrace, Kingston.

He was picked up by detectives carrying £2,000 in cash just four days later at Holyhead ferry port, Wales, on the way to his native Ireland.

Ward spent three months on remand before confessing and giving up the PC World workers, though not his accomplice.

At first police did not believe the heist had been an inside job until Ward showed them phone records between him and the plotting mum-of-three.

Apart from the cash found on Ward at the time of his arrest, most of the stolen cash has not been recovered.

Witness appeal Police are appealing for information in the hunt for the fourth suspect in the Kingston PC World robbery.

The man, said to be white, was said in court to be the link between the Bradleys and Michael Ward, who claimed not to have known one another before the robbery.

The unidentified man made off in a staff member’s Vauxhall Corsa having had a row with accomplice Ward over whether to steal laptops.

The car was later found abandoned in a nearby car park, along with the imitation machine gun used in the robbery.

A spokesman for the flying squad said: “We are still very keen to trace the unidentified accomplice who is believed to be a white man.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.