Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Life for Veron's machete burglar
LONDON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - A machete-wielding man who terrorised Argentine soccer player Juan Sebastian Veron and his family during a break-in earlier this year has been jailed for life.
Wayne Harley, described by police as a professional criminal, was sentenced on Tuesday at Kingston Crown Court, south-west of London.
Judge Charles Tilling told the 36-year-old he represented a continued risk of causing serious harm to the public.
The court heard that Harley had broken into Veron's home in southwest London, early on a Sunday morning in January this year.
Having woken Veron's family, including two young children, he wielded a machete before making off with an estimated £60,000-70,000 worth of jewellery.
Harley fled in a van with the jewellery, watches and mobile phones but fell asleep in the vehicle after refuelling at a nearby petrol station.
After waking he set off again only to crash the van and was arrested soon afterwards, the court heard.
Harley had admitted aggravated burglary when he appeared in court on Monday.
Veron is currently playing in Italy with Serie A side Inter Milan having joined them on a year's loan from Chelsea in June.
The 29-year-old played in Italy for Sampdoria, Parma and Lazio before moving to Manchester United for a British record fee of £28.1million in 2001.
He failed to shine for United and joined Chelsea in a £15million deal shortly after Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the club last July but endured a miserable season because of a back injury, making only 14 appearances.