Armed robbers jailed for forcing students to hand over bank details

Masked intruders Martin Gaffoor, 36, and Lee Whormsley, 37, both from Shiregreen, in Sheffield, burst into the house in South Road, Walkley, as the students slept.

Gaffoor pointed a gun at the 20-year-olds and Whormsley carried a stun gun as they bound them, gagged them with socks and searched for valuables.

The pair were jailed for 11 years and nine years respectively at Sheffield Crown Court last week.

Toni Slinn, 30, from Shiregreen, who accompanied the two men, was sentenced to five years in prison for her role in the robbery on November 24 last year.

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said one of the students was woken by Gaffoor and Whormsley when they entered his room at around 8am.

They tied the student up with electric cable, and another was tied up with shoelaces as they had their debit cards and PINs taken. Both were sprayed with a fire extinguisher, in a bid to remove forensic evidence.

After freeing themselves when the intruders left, they called police and discovered items had been stolen and money withdrawn from their bank accounts.

A police investigation identified Gaffoor and Whormsley, and then further identified Slinn, who used the bank cards to withdraw cash.

All three pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and were sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court.

Gaffoor and Whormsley also pleaded guilty to two counts of false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing a firearm.

Detective Constable Chris Lewis, who led the investigation, said: “The victims suffered an extremely traumatic experience.”