Two men jailed for manslaughter over terrifying robbery which caused death of Yorkshire grandmother

Samuel Hanrahan, 20, and Jerry Hanrahan, 18, targeted the home of Nhi Muoi Wai in Millside Walk, Morley, Leeds, on March 28 this year. The 64-year-old, known to many as Kim, collapsed in front of two of her children at the home following the robbery, and later died in hospital.

Jerry Hanrahan was armed with a large screwdriver when the pair demanded the keys to a high performance car which was on the drive. He smashed a front window of the house, but the pair eventually fled empty handed after being told the police had been called.

However, the shock of the terrifying incident caused Mrs Wai to collapse. After being taken to hospital it was confirmed she had had a massive stroke. She died later that day.

In a family statement read out at court as the pair were sentenced, Mrs Wai’s daughter Emmie Wai said: “Our mum was taken too soon. The day her life ended was the day ours ended too. We can never get our lives back to normal and we have to deal with this overwhelming sadness and loss for the rest of our lives. This has left the deepest hole in our hearts and we all miss our beautiful and kind mother so much.”

Following the incident, a major inquiry was launched by West Yorkshire Police and detectives set about linking the pair to the scene, and the robbery to the stroke suffered by Mrs Wai.

House-to-house enquiries established that the suspects had been calling at other nearby homes offering to do work in the lead up to the incident. CSI work at Mrs Wai’s house led to the recovery of Jerry Hanrahan’s DNA, while analysis of CCTV in the area identified a cigarette butt that had been dropped by one of the suspects in a nearby street. Forensic testing showed a match for Samuel Hanrahan’s DNA.

Jerry Hanrahan was arrested when stopped in a vehicle in North Yorkshire on April 4 and was shown on police systems as being wanted by West Yorkshire Police for the robbery. Samuel Hanrahan was arrested at his home in Manchester 10 days later.

They were both initially charged with attempted robbery but manslaughter charges were later added to the indictment. Jerry Hanrahan had previously pleaded guilty to the attempted robbery and Samuel Hanrahan entered a guilty plea to that offence at a hearing on July 21.

On September 7, both entered guilty pleas to the manslaughter charges, and the pair were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Friday (Oct 13).

Jerry Hanrahan, of Cottingley Springs, Leeds, was sentenced to nine years and nine months for manslaughter with a concurrent term of seven years and six months for attempted robbery. Samuel Hanrahan, of Oakley Close, Manchester was jailed for nine years for manslaughter with a concurrent sentence of five years and seven months for attempted robbery.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Suzanne Hall, who led the investigation, said: “The family of Mrs Wai have been left completely devastated by her death, which was totally unnecessary and was a direct result of the selfish criminal actions of this pair.

“They created an absolutely terrifying situation when they targeted the family’s home that afternoon. The level of fear their threatening behaviour produced was just too much for Mrs Wai to take, with utterly tragic consequences. A thorough and comprehensive investigation of the incident resulted in these men being identified and arrested.

“We were determined to see them held fully responsible, not just for the attempted robbery but for their involvement in Mrs Wai’s death that would not otherwise have occurred had they not been there acting the way they did.

“Supported by expert medical evidence, we liaised closely with our colleagues in the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure that manslaughter charges were secured against both defendants. The strength of that evidence and the case against them resulted in their guilty pleas, and also meant the family were able to avoid the additional strain of a criminal trial.

“We hope it will give them some degree of comfort to know that these two men have now been brought to justice and held accountable for the pain they have caused.”

Detective Superintendent Marc Bowes, Head of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “This was a very challenging investigation, and it is testament to the dogged determination of DI Hall and her investigation team that we have been able to secure manslaughter convictions against both these men which fully capture the extent and impact of their criminality.

“It should send a very clear deterrent message to others that we will always do everything we can, on behalf of victims and their families, to take the strongest possible action against those whose offending causes such harm in our communities.”