News

Family terrorised by robbers

By Mike Pyle
May 15, 2012

Three robbers told a pregnant woman they had killed her husband and threatened her with a hammer in front of her three-year-old son.

Sunna Lock, Carl Pontin and Thomas Birks lured Cristo Chenchev, his heavily pregnant wife Nevana Semcova and their young son from London to Shinfield under the pretence of having some motorbikes to sell.

The three men led Mr Chenchev into a field but, realising he had no money with him, they left him there, went back to his van and threatened Mrs Semcova with a claw hammer before taking a bag of money from her and fleeing.

Pontin, 24, of Heroes Walk in Whitley Wood, a notorious troublemaker previously dubbed the Pied Piper of crime by police, and Lock, 23, of Southcote Road, West Reading, were arrested that night a short distance away.

Birks, 22, of no fixed address but from the Reading area, was arrested at a later date.

Birks and Pontin both admitted robbery but Lock denied the charge and was put on trial at Reading Crown Court.

The court heard how Mr Chenchev picked up his wife and son before going to Shinfield to meet the men, unknown to him, over a deal to buy some motorbikes.

The men led Mr Chenchev on a confusing trip around Shinfield, telling him they were trying to locate the motorbikes as they had been left in a field.

Eventually he parked in Hyde End Road and the men walked him into a nearby field. When he was told it was a 15 minute walk Mr Chenchev decided he was no longer interested in the bikes and turned to head back to his van.

The three men beat him back to the van as Mr Chenchev was not familiar with the area and could not find his way.

Recorder Raj Persaud, summing the case up on Wednesday, May 2 said: “Nevana Semcova told you three males with their faces covered ran towards her in the van.

“A male held the sharp end of a hammer against the side of her head and that male told her they had killed her husband. One of the other males said ‘hit her’ and then the first male reached across her and took the bag from the van.

“All three men then ran away.”

The jury found Lock guilty the following day after less than a day of deliberation.

Lock, Pontin and Birks, all in custody, are due to be sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Friday, June 1.

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Most recent user comments 14 of 14

And now its the 5th...... Can you PLEASE update these stories to show us what sentence these types actually got!! So often you leave it by saying they will be sentenced, but we never hear what happened after that. Also the community Service lot, maybe follow them and see what TYPE of service, and do follow up stories. That way it will make the sentence harder for the scum, instead of them just being forgotten about.

Me again, reading
05/06/2012 at 13:16

So it's now June 2nd...... what sentence did this scum get....?

Me again, reading
02/06/2012 at 18:20

I guess Mr Pontin is off to the big house for a few years, at least he admitted his crime and saved the tax payer a few quid. Alas I fear he has bred so the gene pool is still contaminated.

Nimrod Maximus, in another Galaxy far far away....
15/05/2012 at 19:08

Sham is when sentenced they will get a slap on the wrist and at most 1-2 years and out again before xmas

A. XYZ
15/05/2012 at 16:51

Enough is enough. Creatures like Pontin has had ample opportunity to 'turn his life round'. One doesnt need to do much, just not resort to crime. Pontin is incapable of this. I will hope to see a lengthy custodial term - not less than 10 years hopefully.

Bushes Bernal
15/05/2012 at 14:59

Lets all hope that one day they meet someone nastier than them!

A Concerned Local, Reading
15/05/2012 at 13:05

Why are we still hearing about this cockroach Pontin? The guy has got videos on youtube of himself being arrested, like he's some kind of Robin Hood? Give him what he deserves Judge! 10-12 minimum

Readingguy, Reading
15/05/2012 at 12:24

simply put... thse people are pure skum! nuff said.

A Disgruntled Reading Resident, Reading
15/05/2012 at 12:04

He is trying his best to motivate himself to work and realises that now he has a child it is not just about him anymore.”

that lasted a long time didnt it lol. Im sorry but for these type of people, other then a lethal injection, theres nothing you can do about it. Years of soft touch sentences has something to do with it i bet

Mother Superior, Reading
15/05/2012 at 10:21

I Ron, give the guy a chance, in 2010 part of his defence was..

'Pontin told the court he wanted to turn his life around and train to become a mechanic'.

Given this statement I'm sure this incident was just a minor blip and he'll try a lot harder in future.

Actually you're right, it just shows what a load of tosh (I would have liked to use a stronger term) they come out with to try and get a reduced sentence.

“When he was younger he was somewhat of a menace to his neighbourhood and he had a life of crime from when he was very young but he is coming to the point where he is entering adulthood properly and wants to put that kind of life behind him.

“He is trying his best to motivate himself to work and realises that now he has a child it is not just about him anymore.”

Friday's child, Reading
15/05/2012 at 09:45

And in fact Mr Birks has previous in stolen vehicles and prison time.

whitespirit
15/05/2012 at 09:22

This is what happens when you give out wishy washy sentences, continue to let serial offenders off the hook, because successive governments won''t build more jails to keep these recidivists off the streets. These wasters will never change.