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Robber struck while freed on prison licence
Attacks traumatised women victims
A CAREER criminal terrorised Hampstead women in a series of violent robberies while out of prison on licence for an almost identical offence.
Kevin Anthony Nevers, 41, was found guilty on Monday of brutally robbing nine women of high-value jewellery in attacks near their homes in Swiss Cottage, Hampstead, Belsize Park and Haverstock Hill.
The robberies happened while he was on licence following his release after four years from a seven-year jail sentence, also for the vicious robbery of a Hampstead woman.
In the latest robberies Nevers stole gold and platinum rings worth a total of £68,000.
The victims, many of them American citizens, were each grabbed round the throat from behind in quiet streets as they returned home from shopping trips. Two were pregnant, while five had young children with them when Nevers attacked.
Detective Sergeant Paul Lincoln said after the trial: “I’m sure the people of Hampstead will be relieved he is behind bars. His offending had a major impact on all his victims, many of whom were traumatised and moved out of the area.”
Police connected Nevers with the robberies through their striking similarity to his previous crime. They found calls made from his mobile phone to jewellers in Hatton Garden and Kentish Town just after the attacks, which took place between June 2005 and July 2006.
Nevers, from Harringay, gave the jury a vivid description of his life running a crime ring of teenagers committing burglaries and robberies in Camden. He insisted detectives had “fitted him up” for the robberies in revenge for his exposure of a police informant.
Judge Inigo Bing warned him: “There are only two sentences open to the court – one is a sentence of life imprisonment and one is a sentence of public protection.”
He ordered a psychiatric assessment to be completed before sentencing in January. |
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