Jail for Wilburton drink-driver and would-be robber who caused death of his accomplice in getaway

A drink-driver who tried to rob a village shop and then caused the death of his accomplice when he made a botched getaway attempt has been jailed.

Sonny Loveridge, 26, of Stretham Station Road, Wilburton, was imprisoned for 11 years and eight months, having pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and causing death by driving without due care and attention whilst unfit through drink at an earlier hearing. He had also pleaded guilty to a robbery at a shop in Wickhambrook, Suffolk, in February 2023.

The court heard he drove a Ford Focus to the One Stop, in Park Road, Manea, at about 7.10pm on Sunday, 22 October, 2023.

His masked accomplice, John Hayden, 36, got out of the car and went into the shop holding a metal bar.

Hayden confronted the shopkeeper and said: “Give me everything what is in the till. I have another person in the car and I will bring him in.”

The shopkeeper locked himself and his mother behind the tills, which denied Hayden access to the money. Hayden left empty-handed and the victims were uninjured but shaken.

Loveridge drove off with Hayden only to crash the Focus into a ditch in Byall Fen Drove, near Chatteris, at about 7.20pm.

Hayden was thrown from the car and pronounced dead at the scene.

Loveridge suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital. He was found to he over the legal limit for alcohol and the Focus had cloned number plates.

Loveridge was sentenced on Friday (1 November) at Peterborough Crown Court, where he was also banned from driving for 15 years and 10 months.

Det Con Pete Wise said: “Loveridge is a dangerous individual who had already carried out a violent robbery before attempting to rob the shop in Manea.

“Not only this, he drove after drinking and killed his accomplice, so I’m glad he’s been jailed for a long time.”