An armed raider who terrorised a family in their home has been warned by a judge he is going to prison for a long time.
Mohammed Karim, 26, was remanded behind bars after a jury at Bradford Crown Court last Thursday found him guilty of robbery and having an offensive weapon.
Karim, of Longhouse Drive in Denholme, was convicted of involvement in a gang raid at the home of Mohammed Anwar in Redcliffe Street, Keighley, at 10.30pm on April 15. He will be sentenced on September 13 after a report is prepared to consider how dangerous he is.
Judge Peter Benson told Karim: “I am asking for a probation report to assess the level of risk you pose to the public of committing further, violent offences.”
Prosecutor John Topham told the jury the shock of the armed robbery gave Mr Anwar a heart attack. He was at home with his wife and five children when four men in balaclavas rushed into the house, armed with sticks and metal poles.
Mr Topham said Karim struck Mr Anwar’s eldest daughter on the forehead with a wooden stick.
The court was told Mr Anwar, who runs a fruit and vegetable company supplying markets across the country, made a deal with a man in Cyprus for £15,000-worth of sultanas. But the arrangement had gone wrong. The sultanas went rotten and not all of the money was paid.
In November last year, Mr Anwar was contacted by somebody calling himself Wes, who said he was collecting the cash for the sultana deal. Mr Topham said Karim knew Wes.
When the men burst into the house, they stole two mobile phones, plus car, van and house keys.
Mr Anwar called 999, and when paramedics arrived they did an ECG scan and he was taken to hospital having suffered a heart attack.
When Karim was arrested on April 17, a bag was found containing property from the robbery.
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