TWO brothers were each jailed for eight years yesterday following an undercover police operation against burglars and drug dealers in Leeds
John Paul Semeniuk, 28, and his brother Andrew, 21, were among 10 defendants sentenced at Leeds Crown Court as part of Operation Greenhill which was aimed at reducing the burglary rate in the city, recorded at the end of last year as well above the n
ational average.
Undercover officers made contact with people offering stolen goods for sale in North East and North West Leeds, mainly cars but also high value electrical goods, leading to numerous arrests. Sentencing Judge Paul Batty said 14 burglaries were involved in the current charges before him with £190,000 property stolen.
On one occasion a man was threatened with a knife and struck before his car was taken, while in another case a car owner was chased.
He said some in court were more involved than others but described John Paul Semeniuk as "at the heart" of the conspiracy and the police operation. He was in contact with the undercover officers offering items for sale often within hours of their theft and had also put test purchase officers in touch with 17 different drug dealers during his contact with them.
John Paul Semeniuk, 28. of Beckhill Gardens, Leeds, admitted eight drug offences and conspiracy to burgle. He also asked for 30 other offences including 28 of burglary to be taken into consideration.
Andrew Semeniuk, of Potternewton Lane, Leeds, admitted handling stolen goods, selling a 12 gauge shotgun, and three drugs offences. The judge said he had moved up in the criminal league by supplying the undercover officers with the firearm and ammunition.
Danny Bucknell, 27, of Heights Drive, Armley, Leeds, and Curtis Chapman, 24 of Beckhill Row, Leeds were both jailed for two years four months for conspiracy to burgle.
Aidan Fraser, 18, of Tynwald House, Falsgrave Road, Scarborough, who admitted having an imitation firearm, was sent to a young offender institution for eight months.
Douglas Walden of Stonegate Road, Leeds, was given a 12 months community order with 180 hours unpaid work after admitting handling a stolen Porsche. The £30,000 car was taken after a burglary in Harrogate and later sold to the undercover officers for £550.
Mark Harte, of Coldcoates Avenue, Leeds, was given 52 weeks in prison suspended for two years with supervision and a drug rehabilitation order for nine months and banned from driving after he admitted burglary, handling an Alfa Romeo car, aggravated vehicle take and driving while disqualified.
Steven Moss, 29 of Amberton Mount, Gipton, Leeds, was given an 18 months community order with supervision and a three month curfew from 7pm to 7am after admitting handling a stolen car.
Mathew Ogarro, 24 of Scott Hall Road, Leeds, who also admitted handling a stolen car received a 12 months community order with 180 hours unpaid work.
A 16 year old youth who admitted burglary and handling was given a two year supervision order with a three month curfew.
