Loan shark thugs caged for robbery
TWO part-time debt collectors who forced a man to carry out an armed robbery because he owed a loan shark money have been jailed.
Scott Clegg and Spencer Rushton are today starting four-year prison terms for their part in the armed robbery at a convenience store.
Rushton ordered Jamie Bowers to carry out the robbery to try to repay a loan shark debt.
Bowers, of Hollings Street, Fenton, pointed a pistol at the head of shopkeeper Ian Clark before stealing £80 from Martin's, on Sandon Road, Meir Heath, in July 2007.
But the 29-year-old, who admitted robbery and possessing an imitation firearm, was jailed for just 18 months after implicating Rushton and Clegg in the crime.
He received a further 18 months after admitting having a CS gas canister, which he used as protection, and assaulting his partner.
Stafford Crown Court heard Bowers now "lives in some degree of fear" since giving evidence against the two co-accused.
Steven Wild, defending Bowers, said: "When he is ultimately released, he will need further protection."
Rushton, aged 42, of Verona Grove, Longton, and Clegg, aged 26, of Ridgeway Road, Hanley, were convicted of robbery and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to commit an offence.
Rushton was sentenced to a further three months for possessing a stun gun.
Paul Cliff, defending Rushton, said many people were prepared to speak positively about his client, who is a father-of-two.
Catherine O'Reilly, defending Clegg, said her client still denied the offence and had struggled to come to terms with the jury's verdict.
Police today warned people not to borrow money from unofficial lenders.
Sergeant Simon Caton, who helped bring Rushton and Clegg to justice, said: "Interest rates spiral out of control and people get themselves in a situation where they are stuck.
"When people are threatened by debt collectors they are often so afraid of violence they won't report it to the police.
"It's credit to Jamie Bowers that he admitted his part in what happened and decided to name the other people involved."
When he was arrested he admitted his guilt and told police he had been forced into it, and officers turned their attention to prosecuting Spencer Rushton and Scott Clegg.
Sgt Caton said: "Bowers pleaded guilty as the principal offender, and became a witness for the prosecution of Rushton and Clegg.
"They agreed to being debt collectors but denied being involved in the robbery. When interviewed they were vague as to their movements on that day and couldn't come up with a cast iron alibi. Jamie Bowers's testimony was backed up by mobile phone evidence. We seized their phones and using an expert we were able to plot to some extent their movements around the city when they were driving Bowers around looking for places to rob.
"It was too much of a coincidence that it matched what Bowers had told us."
Giving evidence, Bowers said he had originally borrowed £300 from a loan shark and Rushton had been hounding him to pay it back, and threats had been made against him, his family and his house. The debt grew at an "astronomical" rate of interest to more than £1,000.
He said Rushton took him first to a Spar shop in Barlaston, but he just bought a bottle of pop there.
He told jurors: "He was threatening my kids, and threatening me. I was just scared and I had a certain amount of time to do something, and if I didn't, my house was going to go up."
The gun has never been found, so the prosecution had to assume it was an imitation. The police have not identified the loan shark Bowers borrowed from.
It is not known how many loan sharks are operating in Stoke-on-Trent because cases are rarely made public for fear of reprisals. But the recently-formed Staffordshire Credit Union, based in Hanley, is hoping to stop people being targeted by loan sharks.
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