Robbers threatened to spray ammonia at drivers in bid to steal their cars

Two carjackers have been jailed for targeting drivers who stopped at traffic lights while armed with bottles of ammonia.

Martin Moody, 29, and Frederick Heslop, 33, hid the corrosive liquid in juice bottles and threatened to spray it at drivers unless they handed over their cars.

The pair worked together in their attempt to steal vehicles in Newcastle, with Heslop pressing the pedestrian crossing button to bring drivers to a halt.

Moody would then approach and try the handles in the hope of stealing either the cars or any valuables inside.

Grainy CCTV of the pair carrying out the attempted car raids was shown to Newcastle Crown Court where both men were jailed for four years.

The court heard how victims became terrified they were the target of an acid attack, with ammonia described in court as a ‘highly dangerous weapon’.

Moody and Heslop set up their base at traffic lights at the junction of West Road, Elswick Road and Corporation Street, Newcastle, at around 10.30pm on October 26, 2018.

One of the first vehicles to stop was driven by a woman who had two female friends in the car with her.

Judge Gittins said: ‘You, Moody, repeatedly tried to open the door.

‘Fortunately they had, being wary of your presence, locked the doors so you couldn’t get in.

‘They were nonetheless terrified, not least because of all the recent publicity there has been about the use of corrosive substances in street robberies, which are fortunately still relatively rare up here, even if more common in other cities.

‘They were understandably alarmed and the driver pulled through traffic lights despite them being on red, because of your ongoing attempts.’

The woman pulled over at the next corner and called police, but watched as the men tried the same trick on at least two more cars before cops arrived.

Moody was found with a half litre Vimto bottle hidden up his sleeve, while Heslop had a Fruit Shoot bottle – both filled with ammonia.

Judge Gittins said it was ‘capable at the concentration it was in of damaging skin, eyes and other soft tissues’, adding that it was a ‘potent and dangerous weapon’.

One of the victims said in a statement read to the court: ‘As a result of this I feel terrified.

‘I walk past this area taking my daughter to school and I’m scared I will see these men again.

‘I was made aware the bottles contained acid, which scared me. I could have been sprayed with acid.

‘I’ve seen on the news other people sprayed with acid and the consequences of it.’

Another said: ‘This has left me feeling very wary of going out after dark on my own.’

As they were being sentenced, Moody interrupted the judge, accused victims of ‘talking s***’ and said: ‘I’ve been pinching cars all my life.’

He was taken to the cells after adding, about the judge: ‘He is p****** me off this d*******.’

Moody, of Meadow Well, North Shields, has previous convictions including for attempted robbery, burglary, assault and taking without consent.

Heslop, of Elswick, Newcastle, has previous convictions for robbery and attempted robbery and had only been released from prison in June and was on licence at the time.

Both admitted attempted robbery and possessing an offensive weapon and were each jailed for four years.