Masked gang storms family home
A father was forced to defend his family during a violent home invasion that left one of the masked intruders dead on the floor of his living room. Six men wearing balaclavas and wielding weapons burst into the family home in Selby, North Yorkshire, in March 2022. The father was beaten with a crowbar and punched in front of his partner and their two young children before he managed to fight back, grabbing a knife during the struggle and fatally stabbing one of the attackers.
Desperate attempt to save dying man
As five of the gang fled in a getaway car, the injured father immediately tried to save the sixth man’s life and dialled 999. Paramedics and police raced to the scene but were unable to revive the wounded intruder, who died in the property. The father was later cleared of any wrongdoing, with police confirming he had acted in defence of himself and his family.
Armed raid triggers manhunt
The terrifying incident triggered a major investigation by North Yorkshire Police, who worked alongside Selby’s local policing team and specialist officers to track down the gang. All five surviving suspects were located within 48 hours using a mix of CCTV, DNA evidence, phone data and forensic analysis. They were later charged with aggravated burglary and have now been jailed for a combined total of 70 years.
Gang members jailed
The five men sentenced at Leeds Crown Court were:
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Alan James Hall, 34, of Selby
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Daniel Welford, 32, of Pontefract
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Max Jackson, 33, of York
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Kallan Hunt, 35, of no fixed address
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Andrew Richardson, 38, of Doncaster
Some of the men denied any involvement, while others attempted to downplay their roles. Welford admitted being present but claimed he hadn’t known what the others were planning. Richardson initially claimed he had only gone to the scene after hearing a friend had been stabbed. Hall, confronted with blood evidence, claimed he had been bitten by a dog.
Police praise father’s bravery
The father, whose name has not been released, was not charged. Detectives described his actions as a clear case of self-defence in the face of extreme violence. Officers pieced together a timeline using mobile phone data, CCTV footage and forensic samples from the scene to link each suspect to the aggravated burglary. The gang’s attempts to cover their tracks were ultimately undone by what police called “a meticulous and determined investigation.”
