Two men have been sentenced to 12 years in prison following the death of a fellow burglar during an armed raid on a mobile home in Tuxford, Nottinghamshire. David McCandless, 44, and Mason Meanwell, 25, were convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary after Taylor Green, 22, was fatally stabbed during the incident on February 25 last year.
Armed burglary at Lodge Lane Industrial Estate
The four intruders, armed with weapons including an axe, forced entry into a chalet on Lodge Lane Industrial Estate. CCTV footage showed them approaching the property and demanding money from the occupant and his partner. During a confrontation, Green was stabbed twice, suffering a fatal wound to the heart. He died at the scene.
The Crown Prosecution Service determined there was insufficient evidence to charge the occupant, who acted in self-defence. McCandless and Meanwell, both from Newark, denied manslaughter but were found guilty by a jury after a three-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court.
Sentencing and judge's remarks
On Friday, July 3, Mr Justice Michael Soole sentenced both men to 12 years for manslaughter, with an additional six months for McCandless for an unrelated GBH offence and for Meanwell for committing the offences while on a suspended sentence. They will serve two-thirds of their 12-and-a-half-year sentences in prison.
The judge stated: 'Neither of you intended that anyone should die as a result of your armed burglary. However, as the jury has found by its verdict, there was an obvious risk that someone would be harmed as a result of your armed incursion, whether directly by your assault or in consequence of an occupant resisting you in lawful self-defence.'
Police statement
Detective Inspector Clare Gibson of Nottinghamshire Police's Major Crime Unit said: 'This case concerned a violent incident in which a man lost his life following an aggravated burglary. The circumstances surrounding Taylor Green's death were subject to detailed investigation and careful examination before the courts. McCandless and Meanwell have now been sentenced for their involvement in the events of that evening following their convictions for manslaughter and conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary. Our thoughts remain with all those affected by this incident and its consequences.'
