Mark O’Reilly, 24 (16.3.92) of no fixed address was jailed for 12 years on Friday, 2 September at Snaresbrook Crown Court for three firearm offences and three robbery offences. O’Reilly pleaded guilty to the offences on Monday, 25 July at the same court.
He was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment for three counts of robbery and a further 15 years’ imprisonment for two counts of possession of an imitation firearm in commission of an offence and one count of an imitation firearm on arrest, to run concurrently. On Wednesday, 15 June the victim a 24-year-old estate agent met with a prospective tenant Mark O’Reilly, at a property in Bromley-by-Bow.
Once inside the property O’Reilly produced a sawn-off double barrelled shotgun and subjected the agent and the 20-year-old male occupant of the flat to a terrifying ordeal. He bound their hands and feet and searched the flat. He then held a gun to theirs heads to extort pass codes for their bank cards, computers and mobile phones. He stole cash, bank cards and an iPad. On Tuesday, 21 June O’Reilly carried out a further offence.
At around 14:00hrs he met with an estate agent to view a property in Gladstone Avenue, N22. Later that day O’Reilly asked to view the property again but this time with his girlfriend. At around 18.30hrs the 22-year-old male estate agent attended the property and O’Reilly was waiting outside. He stated that his girlfriend was running late and asked if he could have another look around. They both went into the flat.
The victim was then threatened with a sawn off shot gun and ordered to hand over his mobile phone, cash, driving licence, car key and flat keys. O’Reilly left the location and the victim ran into the garden and police were called. Due to the similarities of the incidents and subsequent forensic analysis O’Reilly was linked to both crimes.
On Friday, 24 June O’Reilly was arrested following an extensive manhunt across London conducted by officers from Tower Hamlets and Haringey CID, working with colleagues from the Met’s Flying Squad.
When O’Reilly was arrested he was found in possession of the sawn-off shotgun which was later proved to be an imitation firearm. Detective Constable Alan Henderson, from Tower Hamlets CID, said: “O’Reilly was calculated in the planning and execution of these crimes, he has shown a cold indifference to the suffering of his victims.
We hope that the sentence he has received helps the victims in their recovery from the lasting mental trauma he inflicted. We know for a fact that he was planning further similar robberies when he was arrested and are pleased to have prevented him from carrying them out.”