South Shields raider jailed for seven years following 'terrifying' attack on man in his own home
by Rob Kennedy · ChronicleLiveA knife-wielding raider attacked a man in his own home after wrongly believing he was related to someone he blamed for murdering his dad.
Liam Liddle, whose father was killed in 2011, mistakenly thought the victim was a family member of a man who was accused and acquitted of murdering his father. Newcastle Crown Court heard in May 2022, Liddle and accomplice Michaela Hart went to the man's home in Jarrow, South Tyneside.
Hart, who knew the man, knocked on the door and spoke to him briefly, while Liddle hid out of sight. Prosecutor Michelle Clarke told the court: "Liddle comes out of his hiding place and barges his way into the property. The complainant describes Mr Liddle trying to attack him with a knife and Mr Liddle threatening to stab him. The complainant had to grab Liddle's arm to protect himself."
Miss Clarke said the victim was eventually bundled out of his own front door and he ran off to get help. When police attended he was "very scared, upset, really shaken up" and his home was ransacked, with property including a watch, wallet and games console missing.
The court heard Hart had known the victim for around six months but Liddle had met him just once and Miss Clarke said: "Liddle's father had been murdered by a man with the same name. He appeared to believe they were related. They were not related."
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Liddle, 30, of Windermere Crescent, South Shields, admitted aggravated burglary and knife possession on the basis he had feared the victim may attack him when he agreed to accompany Hart to collect some belongings from him.
Hart, 35, of Brisbane Avenue, South Shields, admitted burglary but denied she had gone to the house to collect any possessions and said it was Liddle who had asked her to help him that night. Prosecutors accepted she did not know Liddle was carrying a knife.
Judge Robert Adams said it must have been a "terrifying incident" and jailed Liddle, who has a long criminal record, for seven years and two months. Hart, who is a mother, was sentenced to 14 months, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements and 100 hours unpaid work.
Glenn Gatland, defending Liddle, said his client was just 17 when his father was murdered and it had a hugely traumatic affect on him. Mr Gatland said Liddle turned to alcohol and drugs to cope but now has a partner, has started to rehabilitate himself and completed courses while on remand.
Penny Hall, defending Hart, said: "She wasn't aware of any knife until it had been produced at the scene." Miss Hall said Hart has physical and mental health problems, had been out of trouble for many years before and has been offence free in the more than two years since.
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