Three people lure man to Northampton flat and carry out ‘sinister’ plot to rob him

Three people have appeared in court after inviting a man to a friend’s flat and then carrying out a plot to rob him.

Chantelle Thompson, aged 24, of Emerald Way, Myles Winfarrah, aged 24, of Bostock Avenue and Craig Collins, aged 32, of Wellingborough Road, all appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Wednesday, March 8 after pleading guilty to robbery.

The court heard that Thompson invited the victim to a property on Wellingborough Road on July 31, 2020.

Thompson excused herself to go to the toilet where she met with Winfarrah and Collins and they made an agreement to rob the victim.

Phillip Plant, prosecuting, said Winfarrah and Collins then burst out of the toilet and began to attack the victim, forcing him down onto a bed and slapping him four times.

The attackers then took the victims Samsung phone and £123 in cash, the court heard.

The victim fled the property, alerted passers-by in the street of what had happened and police were called to the scene, where they found Thompson hiding under a bed. All three defendants were subsequently arrested.

The court heard that no weapons were used during the attack but cutlery was found under the bed where Thompson was hiding. There was no evidence that any of the defendants were intoxicated during the robbery.

Winfarrah’s previous offences include dishonesty, violence and breach of court orders.

Collins has previously made off without payment and Thompson’s past offences include beating an emergency worker.

Liam Muir, defending Winfarrah, said he is still a young man who lacks maturity and has not committed any previous offences “of this nature.” Winfarrah is also “remorseful”, the defence barrister added.

Micaila Williams, defending Collins, said that most of his previous offending has taken place in the space of 10 months after the deaths of his auntie, grandmother and father in a short space of time in 2021. This made him responsible for three siblings and he started drinking and taking drugs to cope.

She said that, since Collins’ incarceration for a previous offence, he has made “marked improvements” to his lifestyle and has taken on a significant role working in the prison. He has additionally been offered employment in the community as and when he is released.

Richard Reynolds, defending Thompson, said she did not inflict any of the violence during the robbery, has a limited criminal history and she is “remorseful” for what happened.

Mr Reynolds added that she has a diagnosis of alcohol dependence syndrome but is now taking steps to deal with her alcohol and drug problems.

Mr Recorder Boyle, sentencing, said: “This was clearly a sinister and ugly scene and that is something the court must take seriously.”

Winfarrah was sentenced to 22 months in prison and Collins was sentenced to 21 months in custody.

Thompson was handed a 17 months prison sentence suspended for two years.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article reported a statement said in court that the offences had been committed "in the space of 10 months after the deaths of his auntie, mother and father in a short space of time in 2021". We have since been notified by the family that this was incorrect. It was not his mother who had died, but his grandmother. The family has also said that the siblings referred to in the original article were not younger siblings. The article has been updated to reflect this and we are happy to clarify the situation.