In a recent unsettling event near a domestic property in Scunthorpe, a local entrepreneur experienced a traumatic experience as a group threatened to use a simulated firearm during an act of theft. The event, which was labelled as ‘terrifying’ by Humberside Police, took place on 28 November 2023. A thorough 22-day trial at Grimsby Crown Court resulted in four individuals, originating from London, being found guilty of conspiring to commit robbery. These were Vincent Bennett and Sukhvinder Singh-Degwa, both 45, who were confirmed guilty of possessing a counterfeit firearm with the intention of inciting fear of a violent act, along with Mark Baguena, 44, and Safin Mohammed, 46, who were found to be complicit in the crime. The punishment was assigned at Hull Crown Court. Both Bennett and Singh-Degwa received a sentence of nine years each, while Baguena and Mohammed were handed down seven years each. The group, having journeyed from London, committed the aggressively calculated act with a high degree of precision. When the victim was nearing his residence, he was ambushed by Bennett and Singh-Degwa, with Bennett threatening to fire what seemed to be a handgun, and then hitting the victim on his head. Meanwhile, Baguena was observing the surroundings as Mohammed participated in the coordinated operation. The violent act was finally put to an end when a neighbour stepped in, but not before the victim’s keys had been snatched away. Detective Constable Scott Belton, in-charge of the investigation, depicted the crime as a premeditated assault intended to cause terror. The victim, who was merely coming back from work, was subjected to this unexpectedly brutal attack.
This article is based on original reporting from www.bbc.com, adapted for The Lincoln Post.
