Weymouth gunman will spend at least nine years in jailA GUNMAN who held Weymouth and Portland in the grip of fear over several days will serve at least nine years behind bars.
Colin Paul Douglas, 26, was convicted of 18 offences in total including two armed robberies, arson, carjacking and burglary.
Douglas, of Parr Way, Weymouth, sparked a massive manhunt which ended with his capture late on March 4 in woodland near Whitcombe.
Douglas was not at Dorchester Crown Court yesterday to hear the sentence.
Judge Roger Jarvis gave Douglas an indeterminate sentence for public protection with the minimum time he will serve being nine years. The judge said Douglas seemed to be indifferent to the impact his behaviour had on others and that he was emotionally removed.
He added: “He was ruthless in committing the offences. It is obvious Colin Douglas takes great pride in not being frightened of anyone or anything.”
Douglas will not be eligible for parole for nine years but must satisfy parole board officials that he has changed and is not a danger to the public. If they are not satisfied, Douglas will stay in prison until they believe he no longer poses a danger.
The judge said: “When they come to consider his position they must be clearly satisfied there has been a significant change in his attitude.”
The court heard that Douglas had 19 previous convictions for a total of 73 offences.
Douglas’s crime spree began in February just days after being released from prison. He committed a number of offences but it was not until March 2 when he robbed a post office that a full-scale manhunt was launched.
Prosecutor David Richards said: “The offences began in mid- February. Douglas had been released on licence in early February having served seven-and-a-half months of a two-year sentence.”
The sentence had been for aggravated burglary, handling stolen goods and obstructing a police officer.
Douglas then went on to commit a number of offences between February 12 and his capture on March 4 including the armed robbery and false imprisonment of Portland taxi driver Derrick Thorner and the armed robbery of Abbotsbury Road Post Office in which £28,056 was taken.
In mitigation Timothy Shorter said that none of the firearms had been fired.
He said: “The gun Douglas had at the post office was not capable of being used.”
Judge Jarvis praised the police officers who went into the woodland.
He said: “It must have been terrifying for them and it’s very much to their credit they went in.
“Regardless of their own safety they pursued and caught Douglas.”
'Appropriate sentence' DETECTIVE Inspector Marcus Hester from Dorset Police said: “I think it’s an appropriate sentence the judge gave on the facts available.”
He added that it had been a large police operation to capture Douglas involving a number of officers from other forces.
DI Hester said: “It was concluded successfully with the capture of Colin Douglas and without anyone being physically hurt although the court has heard that a number of people have had psychological issues since due to being victims of his crimes.”
The court heard that Douglas had kept copies of the Dorset Echo detailing his crimes.
Victim hits out ONE of Douglas’s victims, taxi driver Derrick Thorner, of Portland, said that the attack had affected him and his family. He said: “I don’t think nine years is enough. He should be doing at least 15 years.”
Mr Thorner said the sentence wasn’t long enough and the attack had had an effect on his family and himself.
He added that it had also affected his earnings as he had not driven his taxi at night for many months.
The driver of the black Saab convertible that Douglas carjacked at Lynch Lane said she felt relieved to hear about the sentence.
Hazel Coleman said: “I’m relieved he’s been sentenced and it will perhaps make it safer for a lot of people.”
She added that she felt very sorry for all the other victims who had been affected.
Mrs Coleman said: “I hope everyone can start rebuilding their lives. It’s a relief for them.”
http://www.thisisdorset.net/news/tidnew ... s_in_jail/Portland robbery: Taxi driver in gunpoint ordeal
11:30am Saturday 26th February 2011
By Arron Hendy
A TAXI driver was robbed at gunpoint before being tied up and locked in his garage.
Derrick Thorner put his car away in his rented garage in Harbour View Road on Portland and was confronted by a six-foot-tall man wearing a balaclava and holding a handgun and a two-foot long spanner.
The man stole around £180, a mobile phone and drove off in the taxi before abandoning it in Wyke Regis.
The husband and dad-of-three told how he banged on his garage door for 20 minutes afterwards until he broke his way out and called the police.
“I’m scared and shocked,” he said.
“The whole thing was just unbelievable and I’ve never faced anything like that in my life with a gun thrown in my face.”
Mr Thorner, 46, arrived back in his silver Vauxhall Insignia at just before 1am yesterday.
He said: “I got out of the car and there was a bloke with a gun in one hand and a two foot iron ring spanner in the other and he said ‘get back in the garage.’ “He was coming towards me and had the gun pointing at me.
“He didn’t just show it to me he had it fully in my face at arms length away.”
The man demanded Mr Thorner’s money but the taxi driver had thrown his money bag to the garage floor and said he did not have any.
“He started searching me and said ‘if you run I’ll burn your house down.’ “It was either run or take a chance in fighting back but I played it safe.”
The robber told Mr Thorner to face the wall and said ‘don’t look at me’ as he searched the car and moved it out to search the garage when Mr Thorner told him where the money bag was.
After asking where Mr Thorner lived the robber said “you might not be the person I’m looking for.”
He used a yellow bungee rope out of the boot to tie his hands up and locked Mr Thorner in the garage despite him begging the robber not to.
The taxi driver made it home just before 2am and the car – which has a Hackney licence plate and a taxi sign on the roof – was later discovered at the Chesil Beach Holiday Park.
Mr Thorner thanked his fellow taxi drivers for their concern and appealed to them not to return home with their money in future if they can deposit it at a bank or anywhere safe.
Detective Constable Ed Meanwell, of Weymouth CID, said the gun is believed to be a pistol and the robber was wearing dark clothing.
He added: “This robbery was extremely distressing for the victim and I am determined to find the offender.”
DC Meanwell wants anyone who saw a taxi being driven erratically after the robbery to contact him.
Anyone with information or anyone who saw anyone suspicious in the Harbour View Road or Chesil Beach Holiday Park area can call DC Meanwell on 01305 222222.
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