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The victims were “terrified by the invasion” and the mother now feels “extremely unsafe in her own home”
Two West Belfast men were sentenced today over a drunken and “terrifying” flat incursion while armed with knives.
Conor Patrick Bradley, 35, of Altan Park, Dunmurry, was jailed for a year and he was told by Judge Gordon Kerr KC that he will spend a further 12 months on supervised licence on his release from custody.
Co-accused Michael Valliday, 27, of Albert Street, received a combination order of 60 hours unpaid work along with a two year probation order.
The judge said he was differentiating between the two defendants as Valliday had no previous convictions while Bradley had 23 entries on his criminal record which included offences of assault and possessing offensive weapons.
Both defendants had previously pleaded guilty to charges of theft, two counts of common assault and possessing knives with intent to commit an indictable offence.
Belfast Crown Court heard that on the morning of December 7, 2024, staff at the Russell’s store on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast reported a theft to police.
Prosecution barrister James Johnston said that at 9.10 am three “intoxicated” individuals entered the store and were verbally abusive towards staff and customers while stealing various items valued at £30.
The three males – which included Paul Valliday who is now deceased – made their way to The Mill apartment block also on the Crumlin Road.
At 9.20am a man had just left the apartment when he encountered the defendants.
“They asked him to let them into the flats but he declined and heard one of them commenting ‘Shorty’s going to get ended today’. He noted one of them was dragging a tarpaulin and they had their hoods up or used masks to partially hide their faces. He made a report to police who started to task officers to the scene,” explained the prosecutor.
“Paul Valliday used his yellow handle knife to try and pry open the security door into the apartments area. Michael Valliday then used his large silver knife to try and do the same,” said Mr Johnston.
“For the next eight minutes all three take turns with their knives to force open the security door. They eventually give up and walk up the stairs to the second floor hallway where a Ring doorbell camera captures them again shouting out for ‘Shorty’ and trying to get into one of the flats.”
The court was told a female was in her mother’s apartment and heard loud banging from outside their door.
She looked out the peep hole and saw the three men on the landing. She described them as the ‘skinny one’ (Michael Valliday), the ‘fat one’ (Bradley) and the ‘scruffy one’ (Paul Valliday).
She told police that she could see Michael Valliday had a kitchen knife in his hand and he was kicking her door and shouting: “Open the door. Where’s Shorty? Where is f***ing Shorty?”
The witness said Paul Valliday and Bradley then joined in kicking the door.
Said Mr Johnston: “She tried to lock the door but they forced it open which knocked her back into a wall and onto the floor. As she lay on the floor Bradley pointed a knife to her face from about 12 inches and said: ‘Where’s Shorty’ Where’s Shorty?’
“She was crying and in fear of her life and she kept telling them that she didn’t know a “Shorty’ and they had the wrong flat. While Bradley held her down, the two Vallidays began searching the kitchen.”
The court was told the victim’s mother came out of her bedroom to see the three males with their hoods up standing in the hallway. Her appearance startled the intruders and this caused Bradley to say to his accomplices: ‘We’ve got the wrong house”.
She started shouting at them to get out of her house at which point Paul Valliday became aggressive towards her calling her a “f*t b***h’ and he lunged towards her with his knife but was held back by Bradley.
“The three defendants then left the flat only to be accosted on the stairwell by police officers who had just arrived on the scene,” said Mr Johnston.
“A black handled knife was recovered from the ground beside Bradley. When police stopped Michael Valliday, a large silver knife dropped from his coat to the floor.
“Also in his coat police found various stolen items which he admitted taking from the Russell’s store, and a black balaclava.
“Paul Valliday was talking incoherently about ‘Shorty’ and a yellow handled knife and various stolen chocolate bars were recovered from him.”
Mr Johnston said that CCTV from the apartment building showed the defendants in the stairwell with the knives in their possession. It also showed them shouting on the second floor landing for ‘Shorty’ and trying to get into another flat before police arrived and they were arrested.
“They were therefore caught red-handed,” added Mr Johnston.
In victim impact statements, the woman said the incursion into her mother’s flat with knives and threats “has traumatised her. She is now scared to stay there and feels scared for her mother’s personal safety”.
Her mother said she had been left “terrified by the invasion” and now feels “extremely unsafe in her own home”.
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