Nottingham criminal branded a danger to the public after terrifying robbery spree

A prolific Nottingham criminal carried out a series of terrifying knifepoint robberies and burglaries before going on the run. Nottingham Crown Court heard how Martin McDonagh targeted homes across the city, pushing his way in and threatening his numerous victims with weapons before ransacking their properties.

The 51-year-old, of Carrington, committed the first of the 111 offences he has so far been convicted of at the age of just 11. But a judge who, when he adjourned the hearing last week saying he was considering a life sentence, told the court this week he has reflected on this and decided not to.

Jailing him for 22 years, Judge Stuart Rafferty KC said: “Whatever efforts you have made while in prison, and I accept that you have, I have to sentence the man who committed these offences. A man who had no sorrow for his victims.

“A man who gave no thought to his victims at all. A man who was driven to carry them out to obtain money for drugs.

“The offences of robbing people in their own home or burgling people by barging into their homes are, frankly, appalling. People in this day and age are frightened to be on the streets, they are lonely and isolated and see their homes as their refuge and then people like you come along.

“These are horrendous offences. You are a danger to members of the public.”

Steven Taylor, prosecuting, said the offences took place over an 11-month period between 2023 and 2024, which ramped up in March of this year. He said the first one, on May 11, 2023, saw the defendant and another man break into a woman’s home, go to her bedroom and straddle her, smack her and threaten her with a weapon, saying she would be “battered or killed”. The prosecutor said: “She had her baby daughter in a cot in the bedroom with her.”

Mr Taylor said a week later, on May 18, McDonagh was behind the wheel of a van, stolen days earlier in Mapperley, which led the police on an eight-minute long, high-speed chase along the A610 between Bulwell and Kimberley which saw him drive in the opposite carriageway, crash and run off.

He said the 2024 offences began with a burglary at a house in St Ann’s on January 10, when he knocked on a woman’s door and when she answered McDonagh pushed her aside, demanded money and rummaged through her property to steal cash. The prosecutor said the next burglary took place two days later in Nottingham and saw the householder return to find his home ransacked and items, including watches which held sentimental value to him, stolen.

Mr Taylor said: “At 5.30pm on February 8, a couple were at their small one-bedroom home in the Radford area and heard a knock at the door. He answered it and two men rushed in, down a hallway and into the living room.

“One had a screwdriver and another had a knife. Mr McDonagh grabbed the man, threw him to the floor and started hitting him to the head and neck.

“He tried to pull a ring from his finger while the second man kept guard. A substantial amount of cash was also stolen.

“In a victim impact statement the wife said ‘I live in fear in my own home and I am terrified of being alone’ and the husband said ‘I now regret moving from Nepal to the UK.” The prosecutor said the next offence was a burglary at a property in Nottingham on March 7 and saw jewellery worth £10,000 and a car among the items taken.

Mr Taylor said: “The next offence was a robbery at an address in Basford Road where he got into the property, grabbed a knife from the knife block and held it to the neck of the man saying ‘where’s your money?’ and asked him where his wallet was.

“The next day he went to the home of a father and his daughter in Nottingham. She answered the door, he pushed his way in and brandished a knife and demanded money.

“In a victim impact statement he said ‘I have always felt happy and secure in my property but we fled in fear that he would return’.” The prosecutor said McDonagh committed two more burglaries in Nottingham on March 28 and 29, one of a warehouse where a vehicle was stolen and the other of a house.

He said the defendant was arrested at an address in Sheffield on April 10 following a police appeal including a £10,000 reward for information from the charity Crimestoppers. It was not said in court if anyone claimed the money.

McDonagh, of Hucknall Road, pleaded guilty to charges including robbery, attempted robbery, burglary, dangerous driving, theft, aggravated vehicle taking, driving without insurance and while disqualified as well as possession of cocaine. He has 111 previous offences to his name and began his criminal behaviour 40 years ago at the age of 11, Mr Taylor said.

Sam Lowne, mitigating, said his client had grown up in the travelling community and by the age of 12 he was in care after his father was murdered and his mother had a nervous breakdown. He said: “In his own words he is just as disgusted, if not more so than anyone else in this courtroom, of his behaviour.

“He wanted to make it plain just how sorry he is. He will be spending a considerable amount of time in prison and he knows he only has himself to blame.

“In his letter he says ‘I have allowed my life to be ruled by drink and drugs and have lost my wife, my family and my home. I know people have been traumatised by my robberies and will remain so. I am truly sorry for what I have done’.”