Two men jailed following violent burglary in Walton-on-Thames

Two men were each sentenced to five years and eight months in prison yesterday (21 December), after being found guilty of an aggravated burglary in Walton-on-Thames in 2018.

The men were out in Kingston-upon-Thames on the night of 18 August when they met their victim, who invited them round to his house for a party. The victim, a 43-year-old man, began to feel uneasy about the men being in his home and asked them to leave a short while later.

After the victim had gone to bed, he heard heavy banging on his front door. The men he’d met earlier, along with an accomplice, had broken into his home.

The man went to his 14-year-old son’s bedroom to protect him, but the men managed to push their way into the room armed with a saw and a hammer. They proceeded to punch and kick the man before leaving the house with his phone, a watch and cash.

The two men were later identified through DNA evidence left on a water bottle at the scene.

Darnell Laxmidas-Elias, 20, Morden Road in Mitcham, and Nathan Walters-Coles, 19, Mount Road in Mitcham, were sentenced at Guildford Crown Court after pleading not guilty to aggravated burglary.

Despite extensive enquiries, the third suspect was never identified.

Detective Constable Lisa Larkin, who investigated the case, said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for the victim and his teenage son which made them fear for their lives. It is likely the two men would have got longer sentences but they were both only 17 at the time they committed the offence. However, the fact that they are both now behind bars reflects the serious nature of this crime and shows that such violent behaviour will not be tolerated.”

If you have any information which could help us to identify the third suspect, please contact us quoting PR/45180088736 via:

• Webchat on our website surrey.police.uk
• Online https://www.surrey.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/
• Calling us on 101

If you do not wish to leave your name, please call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.