Probation satisfied with robber review

PROBATION officers today said they had met “national standards” in their supervision of an armed robber who went on to attempt the kidnap of a Suffolk baby.

Bryan Lockwood, 32, was sentenced to three years in prison last week for attempted child abduction and handling stolen goods - offences he committed while under the supervision of Hertfordshire Probation Service.

Lockwood was one of three men who burst their way into a Stowmarket home in November last year and threatened elderly residents with a cosh before searching the house for their baby grandson.

He was on licence at the time after being released early from a six-year sentence for armed robbery.

Today, Steve Collett, chief officer for Hertfordshire Probation Service, said a review into the case had been concluded and he was “satisfied” the case had been managed properly.

He said: “As a matter of course we review all cases where an offender currently under supervision commits a further offence and I'm satisfied that we managed the case properly and in accordance with national standards for this kind of supervision.”

He said the service was in the process of revoking Lockwood's licence and returning him to prison when the offence was committed because he had breached the terms of his licence.

Mr Collett said he could not go into any detail about what that breach was but said it was safe to say he had broken the usual conditions of licences with his behaviour and his failure to report to the service.

Lockwood, of Borehamwood, Hertfordshire was returned to Wormwood Scrubs in November last year but later released again on licence.

He was staying at a probation hostel in Luton when he was arrested in April this year and remanded in custody.

He appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday where he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for attempted abduction and six months for handling stolen goods.

The latter charge related to cards stolen from the Stowmarket home at the time of the abduction. Lockwood was captured on CCTV using these cards in Barnet.

The court heard he had previous conviction for burglary, armed robbery and attempted robbery and had also escaped prison in the past.

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