Robbers who posed as gay jailed

18th January 2008
by Ian Fielding

Two men who pretended they were gay so that they could rob a man they met in a nightclub have been sentenced to five years at Bristol Crown Court.

The attackers, named as Benjamin Butler, 29, and Matthew Wyatt, 33, met their victim at Vibes club in Bristol and before going back to his flat where they threatened him with a knife, stole his money and tied him up. The pair then fled, leaving him imprisoned in his flat.

Proseuctor William Hunter told the court " "The victim went to Vibe nightclub in Frogmore Street, which is frequented by homosexuals". Mr Hunter then continued to tell the court how the defendants offered the victim a lift home. Once at his home, through a result of mixed messages, the victim asked if he could kiss Mr Butler.

"Mr Wyatt then left the room and Mr Butler held Mr Gibbs down on the sofa while holding a knife so close to his throat that it left him with minor cuts" continued Mr Hunter.

"Butler said 'Bad move, I'm straight. Where's the money and valuables. Don't move or I'll kill you'," said Mr Hunter.

When the victim replied that he did not have any money, his bank card was taken by Mr Wyatt who went to a cash machine but returned without any cash. The pair then ransacked his flat before fleeing with his camera, DVD player and computer.

Butler and Wyatt admitted the charges of robbery, false imprisonment and also driving while disqualified. In addition to their sentence, Butler was disqualified from driving for 12 months and Mr Wyatt's licence was endorsed with six points. Judge Michael Longman who jailed the pair said: "You both befriended the victim in a gay club. To win his confidence you masqueraded as gay men yourselves to get an invitation to his flat. Although he was not injured physically in any serious way this will have deeply affected him psychologically in the long term."