Pair who threatened to harm baby and urinated through letter box jailed for 12 years

Leon Stowe (18) and Reece Adams (23) were arguing outside a property in the Romsey area of Cambridge on September 2 when one of the residents, a 31-year-old woman, heard them while attending her baby.

One of the men starting urinating through her letterbox so she alerted her partner and called police who advised them to lock themselves in the bathroom.

Stowe and Adams began smashing their way through the door and windows. They shouted that they would stab the family and throw the baby out of the window.

After rummaging through their things and taking items including car keys, house keys, a laptop and a jewellery box, the pair made off.

Thanks to detailed descriptions from a witness, they were located a short while later at a nearby hostel and arrested.

Detective Constable Lisa Bacon said: “Quite understandably, the incident has had a huge impact on the victims who were too frightened to return to their home address. The woman now fears being home alone with her child.

“I hope this sentence goes some way to reassuring the victims that the pair are now safely behind bars and that, thankfully, they are of the minority in our city.”

On August 17 Stowe approached a man from behind on Cambridge Place. There was a tussle but nothing was taken. He was identified by the victim as being Stowe.

The next day Stowe approached a man in Gresham Road and attempted to grab his phone. He punched the victim and took the phone which was recovered from his room.

At Cambridge Crown Court Stowe was jailed for a year and two months for attempted robbery, four years and 10 months for the burglary, to be served consecutively, and four months for handling to be served concurrently. He pleaded guilty to all counts except robbery which will lay on file.

Adams also pleaded guilty and was give five years and three months for the burglary and a further nine months for a separate offence of actual bodily harm.

Both were given a 10 year restraining order not to contact the burglary victim or go to their address. Adams was also given a 10 year restraining order not to contact the other victim from the ABH.