Two thieves stole an Amazon van full of parcels a week before Christmas and then filmed themselves boasting: “The guy just took the whole Amazon van, you know”.
Key evidence obtained as part of an investigation into a brutal beating believed to have played a role in the events that led to the murder of innocent Ella Edwards helped lead police to the pair. Jake Duffy, of Hornby Road, Walton, and William Duggan, of Broadfield Avenue, Beechwood, and an unknown man were seen on Pennystone Close, Moreton, on December 16, 2022, frantically throwing packages out of the back of an Amazon van.
The pair stole a parked van containing £3,793.50 worth of belongings from Franklin Road that day and packed its contents into a gray Ford Kuga, which was also stolen from a home in Liverpool on December 6, the Echo reports.
The vehicle was found alight and stripped of its number plates on Boundary Road, Birkenhead, on 19 December 2022. Police GPS tracking of the vehicle revealed that the car had been driven through the Liverpool and Wirral areas between 6 December and 19 December. .
At 1.30pm on December 16, just before the Amazon delivery was stolen, a car was parked outside a cafe in Wirral and CCTV footage taken from the shop showed three men – two of whom have been identified as Duggan and Duffy.
The car was subsequently taken to the scene of the theft in Franklin Road and on to Pennystone Close where both men, who were wearing “masks or hoods” at the time, were seen. The car was also found to be parked close to Duggan’s home in Broadfield Avenue, Beechwood and Duffy’s former address in Arley Close.
However, the most damning evidence was found on December 23 when Duffy and another man, Kieran Salkeld, were captured on a doorbell camera brutally beating a man named Sam Searson.
At the scene of the attack in Highfield Road, Rock Ferry, officers found the iPhone that Duffy had dropped and examined its contents.
Daniel Bramhall, prosecuting, at Liverpool Crown Court today, July 5, said: “Police discovered a short video on the device of a man driving while taking a video of himself on his phone. The man was filming a large van that was following him in a convoy. ” The man with the Liverpool accent can be heard saying “the man just took the whole Amazon van, you know”, this was taken shortly after the Amazon van was stolen.
“The man in the video appears to be wearing a hooded fur coat similar to the coat Duffy is wearing.
During the trial of Connor Chapman for the Christmas Eve murder of Ella Edwards, it was suggested that the Rock Ferry attack may have been the final trigger for the attempt to kill Duffy and Salkeld, with whom Duffy was jailed for the incident in February 2023.
Duggan’s home was searched by police on January 5, 2023, and a number of items from an Amazon delivery were found, including a bottle of whiskey, cleaning product, multivitamins and a battery. A kit of e-cigarettes and an Amazon firestick were found at Duffy’s home.
Both men pleaded guilty to theft, Duffy pleaded guilty to a further charge of handling a stolen motor vehicle.
Daniel Travers, defending Duffy, who has two previous convictions for three previous offences, including assault, said: “Duffy was involved in fairly serious criminal activity and was also subject to a gang order. He was released from prison on January 4, 2024.
“Duffy was disappointed that these proceedings ended at the end of his sentence, at least his prison term. Even for someone who is not on probation, the yo-yo effect of going into custody, out of custody and back again is understandable that Duffy did everything he could could be expected to comply with his strict conditions and the order of the gang to live, I urge the court to give him the opportunity to prove himself.”
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David Birrell, defending Duggan, who has five convictions for eight previous offences, said: “He does have convictions but four of them are for simple possession of cannabis. You can feel it is out of character. He has not re-offended since act.” He is honestly ashamed to have found himself in this position. He appears to have impressed the probation officer, who says he has dealt well and has good interpersonal skills. He is still a young man, only 24 years old, involved in this offence.”
Jake Duffy, 24, of HMP Walton, was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He was ordered to complete 25 days of rehabilitation and pay costs of £250.
William Duggan, 24, of Broadfield Avenue, Beechwood, was sentenced to eight months suspended for 18 months and 100 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to complete 25 days of rehabilitation and pay £250 costs and take part in a thinking skills programme.
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