13-year jail sentence for violent burglary

A LONDON man has been jailed after a court was presented with “utterly overwhelming evidence” that he not only took part in a violent burglary of a Devonport home, but was the “guiding hand” behind it.

- By CARL EVE

The jury in the trial of Bektas Gurgur, from Stamford Road, Tottenham in London, took just two hours and 35 minutes to unanimously find him guilty of aggravated burglary. He denied the office, which he carried out with Curtis Smith, Altan Tezcan and Engin Timur - at a property in Monument Street on February 17, 2024.

During the trial, the jury were told that Smith, aged 22, of no fixed abode in Plymouth; Tezcan, aged 38 and of Hackney, London and Timur, aged 35 and of Hackney, London, had all previously pleaded guilty to the charge.

The men took around £12,500 in cash and a number of car keys during the terrifying incident, some of which was captured on CCTV and Ring doorbell cameras.

The court heard that during the offence Gurgur, Smith and Tezcan entered the house in possession of offensive weapons, including an imitation firearm and a knife, with Smith admitting he was wielding the knife and Tezcan accepting that he was the man brandishing the gun.

Timur admitted that he was the getaway driver. While Gurgur was initially charged with being in possession of the knuckleduster, Judge Linford later directed the jury to find him not guilty of that offence.