Four men jailed for total of more than 40 years for aggravated burglary

Four men have been jailed for a combined total of more than 40 years after breaking into a Weston-super-Mare home in a bid to steal drugs and money from a dealer.

Ky-Shan Muir, Jonathan Markland, Shane King and Ilyaas Skinner were sentenced today (Friday 27 May) at Bristol Crown Court on multiple offences, including:

• 25-year-old Muir, of Eyhurst Place in Coulsdon, Croydon, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and affray. He received a sentence of eight years.
• 21-year-old Markland, of Worsopp Drive in Lambeth, London, pleaded guilty to affray, possession of a firearm (taser), and being concerned in the supply of class A drugs in Hastings, Sussex. He was also found guilty of aggravated burglary and received a sentence of 15 years.
• 23-year-old King, of Knightley Walk in Wandsworth, London, was found guilty of aggravated burglary. He was jailed for 11 years and nine months.
• 21-year-old Skinner, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and affray. He received a sentence of six years and eight months.

Avon and Somerset Police worked closely with the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Orochi team to identify the defendants and arrest, charge and remand them in custody.

The four defendants drove from London to Weston-super-Mare on 31 January 2021 to break into the home of Connor Browning, a convicted drug dealer who had amassed more than £30,000 in cash, drugs and designer clothes.

After they had made multiple attempts to gain access to Browning’s property, in Ivy Lane, they returned with bricks and knives and were able to force entry to the house.

Browning, armed with a knife and pepper spray, retaliated and Muir was seriously injured in the incident.

The intruders left the property and dropped Muir off at the hospital before fleeing back to London.

Browning, who has since been handed a five-year prison sentence, then attempted to tidy the scene. However the altercation had been captured on CCTV and implicated all five men.

Browning pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs, two counts of possession of firearms and possession of criminal property.

During the investigation, it was uncovered that three of the defendants had committed an affray in Bath a few months previously. Evidence also uncovered Markland involvement in running a drugs line in Hastings.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector David Wells, said: “This was a targeted attack on a drug dealer in an attempt to remove competition.

“All four men have demonstrated a complete disregard for human life in this attack at Browning’s house. How this didn’t result in the death of one or more people is a miracle.

“I hope they reflect on their life choices and this illustrates to other people that the police, with the technological advances in evidence gathering, can trace multiple suspects through a single mobile phone.

“I would like to thank the detectives in Somerset for their tireless dedication as well as the Metropolitan Police for their support in achieving this great result.”

Judge James Patrick said the officers are to be commended for some very impressive police work. Judge’s commendations were issued to DS Charlie Pulling, DC Louise Findlay and DIO Lucinda Darby.