Two jailed after mother and daughter held hostage during Shropshire burglary
The two men thought the address in Shropshire sold drugs, but were mistaken
Two men have been jailed for a burglary at a home in Prees after breaking in by mistake, thinking the address sold drugs.
Gary Milner and Ronan Hutchinson wrongly thought the home sold drugs.
The intruders assaulted the mother, and took £300 of the daughter's birthday money from the property.
Milner was jailed for two-and-a-half years, charged with burglary and assaulting an emergency worker after throwing a pair of scissors at officers.
Hutchinson, who held the two women hostage in the bedroom, was sentenced to eight years after being charged with burglary and two counts of false imprisonment.
A West Mercia police spokesperson said, "On March 20, 2024 at around 11.50pm two men entered the property in Prees by smashing the glass in a door, believing it was associated with selling drugs.
"The property was occupied by two women at the time, a mother and daughter, who were forced upstairs by the men before being held hostage in one of the bedrooms.
"The daughter's quick thinking meant she called 999 as the men raced upstairs, but dropped the phone. However, the call continued which meant police were able to hear what was happening as they made their way to the scene.
"One of the men stayed with the women upstairs, while the other intruder started to search downstairs demanding to know where the safe was.
"The intruder who was holding the women hostage in the bedroom threatened them with violence, eventually assaulting the mother which caused her to become unconscious.
"When officers arrived at the scene within six minutes of the 999 call, one of the men fled the scene through the back of the property but dropped a jacket which contained a mobile phone taken from the address.
"The other man ran from the property in a different direction, throwing a pair of scissors at officers that he had taken from the address. The scissors narrowly missed an officer.
"Both men were quickly identified as Gary Milner, aged 45, and of Orchid Meadow, Minsterley, and Ronan Hutchinson, aged 25, of no fixed abode."