A violent robber from Walsall has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for his part in a terrifying gang attack at a Staffordshire nature reserve.
Masked gang targets woman walking her dog
Cameron Worrallo, aged 21, was part of a group that followed a woman in her 50s into Mill Green Nature Reserve in Cannock on 24 May last year. The victim was walking her dog when she was suddenly pushed to the ground and pinned down by multiple assailants, all wearing balaclavas to conceal their identities.
The attackers told the distressed woman they would not harm her pet but demanded she hand over her car keys. They forcibly pried the keys from her hands before making off with her vehicle, leaving her shaken and traumatised by the ordeal.
Stolen car spotted and crashed in desperate escape attempt
Later that same day, the stolen car was sighted in Walsall. A West Midlands Police officer became suspicious as the vehicle displayed no registration plates and began to follow it.
Worrallo, who was behind the wheel, then crashed the car into a bush on Pelsall Road in a frantic bid to evade capture. Police stated that he attempted to flee the scene on foot but "wasn't quick enough" and was promptly apprehended.
Second gang member convicted following police investigation
Worrallo was arrested and subsequently charged with a string of offences. At Stafford Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to:
- Robbery
- Theft of a motor vehicle
- Driving while disqualified
- Possessing cannabis
- Using a motor vehicle on a road without third party insurance
He was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison. This conviction follows that of another gang member, 22-year-old Baydon Whittaker, who was handed a sentence of over three years back in October.
Detective Constable Reece Hingley of Staffordshire Police commented on the case: "The victim in this incident was subjected to a forceful robbery and was left extremely distressed by what the group had done. I'm pleased that we've been able to build all of the evidence needed to secure the second conviction in this investigation."
He added, "This was a particularly distressing incident for the victim and I can assure local communities in Cannock we will seek the toughest possible punishment in court for those who think they can get away with these types of crimes."
