Ashleigh & Holly Robinson

Background

Antoni Robinson was a 61-year-old retired antiques dealer and French polisher. He was stabbed to death in his bed at his home in Old Colwyn, Conwy. His killing involved a family dispute over money, jewellery and property.

Antoni Robinson had two families. He was originally married to Susan Phillips, and together they had two daughters: Amanda and Claire. Antoni and Susan Phillips separated in about 1980. Antoni maintained a relationship with his older daughters even after they moved to the South of England.

After Antoni’s divorce, he formed a relationship with Joanne Barr, who had been his ex partner for 25 years. They never married but they had two children together. Antoni and Joanne Barr lived in a 3-bedroom bungalow with a garage underneath. The property had been built by Antoni himself in the early 1970s, and after his mother’s death in 1992, Antoni bought the property back from the estate and moved back in with his second family.

The offence

Ashleigh Robinson, 19, and her sister Holly Robinson, 16, were convicted of murdering Antoni Robinson on a “joint enterprise” basis in a knife attack at his bungalow. Their boyfriends, Gorden Harding, 20, and Sacha Roberts, 19, were also jailed for life for murder.

Harding stabbed Antoni Robinson as he slept. Antoni was stabbed 15 times, and the injuries were so severe that his jugular veins were severed and he bled to death within minutes. The prosecution said that at least two knives were used: a combat knife with a 7in (17cm) blade and a kitchen knife with a 3in (7.5cm) blade.

Plot and “safe” theory

The prosecution presented the case as a plot to sneak into Antoni Robinson’s bedroom to look for money and jewellery in a safe. During the trial it was said that Harding committed the final act of fatal stabbing, while all four defendants were prosecuted on the basis of joint enterprise in the knife attack.

Family members and the judge described it as a “greedy and devious” plot. The judge said the daughters had been scornful of their father and had worked their way back into his affections. The judge described the murder as an “awful murder” and the daughters as “Judas-like” and “Judas-like and wicked”.

Investigation

North Wales Police investigated the case. Det Ch Insp John Hanson led the North Wales Police investigation and spoke after the sentencing.

The court heard that Joanne Barr made a 999 call. A recording of the call was played to the jury at Mold Crown Court. In the call, Joanne Barr told an operator that she presumed that Gordon Harding had stabbed Antoni Robinson, 61, at his home in Old Colwyn, Conwy. Barr told the operator that she had not checked whether Antoni Robinson was dead.

The court heard that the first police officer to arrive at the house, at 0146 BST, was dog handler Pc Rhian Evans. Pc Evans found the four defendants together in the living room, “hugging each other.” She arrested Gordon Harding on suspicion of wounding and, after seeing the body, arrested him on suspicion of murder. Another officer and a paramedic later found Antoni Robinson lying on the bed with his feet on the floor. The court heard that he had no pulse, was not breathing, and an ECG test confirmed that he was dead.

Arrest

The court heard details of the early police response and arrests on the night of the killing. Pc Evans arrested Gordon Harding on suspicion of wounding and, after seeing the body, arrested him on suspicion of murder. The court record also established that the other defendants were found together in the living room.

Trial

Ashleigh Robinson, Gordon Harding, Sacha Roberts, and a 16-year-old girl all denied murder. Holly Robinson’s identification was lifted by the court following conviction.

Prosecution case

Andrew Thomas QC prosecuted the case. He told the jury that, even if not all defendants had wielded the knives, the prosecution contended that all were guilty of murder as secondary parties because they supported and encouraged Harding. He said that the defendants knew Harding was going into the bedroom, that he was armed with a knife, and that there was likely to be a violent confrontation.

Harding’s account and self-defence plea

Gordon Harding told the jury that it was self-defence. He said he lost control and could not remember inflicting all of Antoni Robinson’s injuries. Harding said he wanted to look into a safe in Antoni Robinson’s bedroom and that he froze in fear when he woke up. He claimed that Antoni Robinson woke up and lunged at him with a kitchen knife. Harding said there was a scuffle in which he grabbed Antoni Robinson’s left wrist and struggled over the knife.

Harding said he managed to get the knife away from Antoni Robinson but could not move away because of a chest of drawers. He said: “I pulled my right hand up to my left shoulder. That was the only place I could move to get away from him. “He pulled my left wrist towards him and I cut him to the neck and to the rear of his right hand shoulder.”

Harding said he did not have any intention to kill Antoni Robinson or cause serious injury, stating: “I only wanted to get out, to get away and get the knife off him.” Harding accepted in a police interview that he thought he had lost control, adding: “It’s just that I was panicking. “It’s just that I was terrified at what was happening.”

Harding was asked about a text message to Sacha Roberts: “He goes tonight, Need your backup. Ready when you are”. He said he wanted to see if the safe contained any letter that could help Ashleigh’s mother in her legal battle to move back into the bungalow, and that he wanted to look for jewellery.

Ashleigh Robinson’s account

Ashleigh Robinson gave evidence in her defence. She told the jury that it never crossed her mind Antoni Robinson would be killed that night. She said she did not want her father killed and had no intention he would be killed or seriously injured.

She said she saw her boyfriend, Gordon Harding, with a kitchen knife, and “Mr Roberts” with a commando knife leave the bedroom she was in. She said she and a 16-year-old girl locked themselves in that bedroom and believed the others were going to Antoni Robinson’s bedroom to look inside a safe. She said she did not hear anything and that she had not been in Antoni Robinson’s bedroom at all.

She said that when “Mr Roberts returned,” he grabbed the girl of 16, put his hands over her ears, and led her out of the bungalow. She said she went outside with her baby but returned later to get baby clothes and opened Antoni Robinson’s bedroom door. She said: “Gordon had my dad in his arms and he was picking him up off the floor,” and she broke down in tears.

She said that Gordon Harding told her: “I am really sorry Ash, but your dad is dead.” She said she denied that she asked him: “Is he dead?” She said: “My mind went into a state of shock,” and that: “The words were there but they were trapped, I could not get them out.” She said she called her mother and that her mother appeared calm and took control.

Harding told Ashleigh that her father was dead; she also said she agreed she had lied to police and that her mother told her to say that Mr Roberts and the teenage girl were not at the bungalow at the time. She said she was told to say that she and Gordon Harding had gone into the bedroom and that her father had threatened them.

Sacha Roberts’ account

In police interviews read to the jury, Sacha Roberts admitted he was inside the bungalow at the time of the killing. He said he had agreed to go with Harding to support him but had not entered Antoni Robinson’s bedroom, waiting on the landing. He said the bedroom door was partly open. He said he saw Harding standing over Antoni Robinson as he lay in bed and saw Harding’s arm come down. Roberts said: “He realised he was stabbing him, but could not believe what he saw.” He said it seemed as if Harding “had gone crazy”.

Roberts said a combat knife belonged to him but claimed Harding took it from him when they were together on the landing. He denied using the combat knife himself. In evidence, Roberts said: “I thought, should I take this as a joke? It was not anything serious. I didn't even think anything about it.” He also said: “I did not.” When asked whether at any stage he thought Harding would injure Antoni Robinson when Harding went into the bedroom with his Commando style knife, Roberts said: “No I did not.” Roberts claimed Harding took the knife off him in the hallway, and that he had it there “for the purpose of injuring Mr Robinson” he replied: “No.” Roberts said: “I did not.” He said he believed the others were going to recover jewellery from a safe, and that he did not know whether Antoni Robinson would have been home that night.

Evidence about the charged perverting the course of public justice

All four, plus Joanne Barr, were sentenced for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice after telling police a pack of lies after the killing. Joanne Barr admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice by lying to the police.

Sentencing

Ashleigh Robinson and her sister Holly Robinson were sentenced at Mold Crown Court in February 2011.

Murder sentences and minimum terms

• Ashleigh Robinson received life imprisonment with a minimum term of 22 years.
• Holly Robinson received life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years.
• Gordon Harding received life imprisonment with a minimum term ordered to be at least 22 years.
• Sacha Roberts received life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years.

Conspiracy to pervert the course of justice

Joanne Barr, the sisters’ mother, received four years’ imprisonment after admitting attempting to pervert the course of justice by lying to the police.

Judge’s remarks at sentencing

The trial judge was Mr Justice Griffith-Williams. After the four defendants were found guilty, the judge said none had shown remorse for the “awful murder,” and that any distress shown at the crime scene was “more for their own predicament than grief for Mr Robinson”.

At sentencing, Mr Justice Griffith-Williams said it was “to be hoped that in his dying moments [Antoni] was at least spared the awful realisation that it was his own daughters who were a party to his murder.”

The judge told Ashleigh and Harding they must serve at least 22 years. He told Holly that despite her age she bore a heavy responsibility for the murder. The judge said that Holly’s text messages proved she was more than a willing participant, and said he suspected she too was outside Antoni Robinson’s bedroom although he could not be sure.

Regarding culpability between the conspirators, the judge described Harding as under “the maligned” influence of Ashleigh, and said Harding was thought to be outside the bedroom door when the attack happened. The judge told Roberts: “You took it to pass to Harding knowing that he would,” and said Roberts’ culpability was somewhat less because Roberts was more of a follower.

“Antoni” stabbing and motive framing in court

The court described Antoni Robinson being murdered in his own bedroom, stabbed 15 times, and that the defendants were after jewellery in the safe.

Mr Justice Griffith-Williams also delivered a passage describing the daughters’ behaviour as “Judas like” and described them as “wormed their way back into his affections.”

“Antoni Robinson was murdered in his own bedroom, stabbed 15 times.
You were after the jewellery in the safe.
It is to be hoped that in his dying moments he was at least spared the awful realisation that it was his own two daughters who were party to his murder.
Two daughters who were, in fact, scornful of him. Two daughters who had appealed for his kindness.
Two daughters who, Judas like, wormed their way back into his affections.”

Appeals

The sisters and the boyfriends appealed their jail terms reduction at London’s Appeal Court. Their cases were rejected by the Lord Chief Justice.

The appeals concerned the minimum terms, with the claim that the trial judge adopted “too high a starting point” when setting their minimum terms. Lord Judge presided (sitting with Lord Justice Leveson and Mr Justice Bean) and rejected the appeals.

Outcome

Ashleigh Robinson and Holly Robinson were each sentenced to life imprisonment with minimum terms specified by the sentencing court.

Their boyfriends, Gordon Harding and Sacha Roberts, were also each sentenced to life imprisonment with minimum terms specified by the sentencing court.

Joanne Barr was sentenced to four years for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice after lying to the police.

Aftermath

Claire Robinson and Amanda Robinson, Antoni Robinson’s daughters from his first marriage to Susan Phillips, made statements after sentencing.

Claire Robinson read a statement outside court including: “As a family we have waited patiently to see these heartless individuals become accountable for their crimes. Today is that day and justice has been done. ” She also said: “My dad was a kind and loving father, brother, uncle and grandfather. We have all been deeply affected and saddened by his death.” She further said: “It has been proved today, without a shadow of a doubt, that our dad did nothing to provoke this and did not deserve to have his life taken so cruelly.” She said it was a “devious, greedy plot made more horrific by the fact that it was perpetrated by relatives we thought we knew.”

Amanda Robinson gave evidence of the effect on her family and described distress about knives.

Det Ch Insp John Hanson said: “I don't think these teenagers considered the impact their actions had that night in July on three generations of their own family. ” He added: “It does not give us any pleasure to see such young people going to prison for such a long time, but we take some satisfaction from the fact that those members of Toni's family who have been left behind may now be able to take some closure from the result of this case and the sentences handed out.”

District crown prosecutor Karen Dixon said: “This was an horrific attack on a defenceless man. The police investigation revealed Mr Robinson had been stabbed some 15 times, which highlights the savagery of the incident.” She said: “The jury agreed with the prosecution case that, whilst Gordon Harding was responsible for stabbing Mr Robinson, all four defendants were part of a plot to have him killed.” She also said: “We would like to thank all those who supported the investigation and prosecution – particularly those who gave evidence in court. ” and: “This has been, and remains, an extremely difficult and traumatic time for those close to Mr Robinson and our thoughts remain with them.”

Other details

Addresses and relationships mentioned

• Gordon Harding was described as from Llanelian Road, Old Colwyn.
• Sacha Roberts was described as living in Colwyn Bay and also living at Woodland Road West, Colwyn Bay.
• Holly Robinson was described as living with Roberts at Woodland Road West, Colwyn Bay.
• Ashleigh Robinson was described as both of Colwyn Bay in the sentencing report.
• Harding and Ashleigh were described as having a baby girl.

Text messages produced during the case

Verbatim text messages were described as follows:

• “6.44pm on July 6, 2010: Ashleigh sent Holly the text: “its game on.””
• “6.45pm: Holly sent her sister the text: “We getting the big guns out.””
• “10pm: then: “I knew you would do that.””
• “10pm: Ashleigh to Holly: “Wat?””
• “10.01pm: Holly to Ashleigh: “Not let m cum.””
• “10.01pm: Ashleigh to Holly: “Its just dangerous Holly.””
• “10.02pm: Holly to Ashleigh: “I can look out for myself.””
• “10.03pm: Ashleigh to Holly: “Yeh fine i wil let u in then.””
• “10.04pm: Holly to Ashleigh: “Cool, you not guna help at all.””
• “10.03pm: Ashleigh to Holly: “Prob nt.””
• “10.13pm: Holly to Ashleigh: “Why.You want it as much as me.””
• “10.13pm: Ashleigh to Holly: “Yeh well i hve a baby to think.””
• “10.14pm: Holly to Ashleigh: “Well I wont do it ever, do what you want.””
• “11.21pm: Ashleigh to Holly: “U must cum and go thru the bk.””
• “11.22pm: Holly to Ashleigh: “Is he bak?””
• “11.23pm: Ashleigh to Holly: “Nt yet i will txt u wen.””
• “11.46pm: Ashleigh to Holly: “Hes hme xx.””
• “11.47pm: Holly to Ashleigh: “We will be on our way up soon x.””
• “Midnight: Ashleigh to Holly: “Where r u? N mum wi u?””
• “12.01am: Holly to Ashleigh: “We are at home. Yeah why? x.””
• “12.01am: Ashleigh to Holly: “Make sure sach has his fone. And show this 2 mum ok. Dad jus said tht he got rid of mum at crimbo an he;ll do the same to me cos it aint working out. Btw he is drinking coffee.””
• “12.05am: Gordon Harding to Sacha: “Sash. He goes tonight. Need your backup.””
• “12.14am: Holly to Ashleigh: “We’re on our way. Hang tight. X””
• “12.17am: Ashleigh to Holly: “It’s G. Head stright here and come.””
• “12.21am: Ashleigh to Holly: “Keep ur mouth shut. Fone on silent.””
• “12.22am: Ashleigh to Holly: “Dnt close gate either xx””
• “12.25am: Holly to Ashleigh: “Ring me xx.””
• “12.26am: Ashleigh to Holly: “We cnt. wats up?””
• “12.27am: Holly to Ashleigh: “We’re on our way. We are guna jump over the front gate, no houses, no witnesses.””
• “12.32am: Holly to Ashleigh: “Gate x.””
• “12.34am: Ashleigh to Holly: “Wait at bottom of hill 4 ou.””
• “12.35am: Ashleigh to Holly: “Wait 5 mins. G will txt u nxt xxx.””
• “12.36am: Holly to Ashleigh: “We are by the kitchen window.””
• “12.37am: Ashleigh to Holly: “He has his light on i think.””
• “12.38am: Gordon to Sacha: “Don’t move 2 mins.””
• “12.38am: Ashleigh to Holly: “Light is off.””

The case description linked the stabbing to a time about 20 minutes later.

Antoni Robinson’s birth and age at death

Antoni Robinson was born on the 10th of August 1948. He was 61 years old at the time of his death.

Knife and injuries details

The court heard Antoni Robinson was stabbed 15 times. The prosecution said his injuries included severed jugular veins and that he bled to death within minutes. The injury descriptions also included wounds to the face, neck and upper body, including four stab wounds to his back.