Jail for armed burglars who left St Neots man in a coma after knocking his teeth out with gun

Two burglars who forced their way into a home armed with a gun and metal bar and assaulted a couple, leaving one of them in a coma, have been jailed.

Marco Sellitto, 34, and Corey Deards, 25, smashed into a house in St Neots in Cambridgeshire at 2am on 31 May 2020.

The man inside, who knew the pair, had a gun placed in his mouth, was beaten with the metal pole and money was demanded from him.

The force of the assault knocked several of the victim's teeth out and broke three of his ribs, injuring one of his lungs.

He was left in a coma in hospital.

The victim's partner, who was upstairs at the time, heard the commotion and ran downstairs but was also assaulted.

She had a sentimental gold necklace grabbed from her neck and £200 in cash was stolen from the main bedroom.

The men then left the house and called two taxis to Bedford.

When police arrived at the scene of the attack they found the metal pole with the victim’s blood on in a nearby alleyway and a car with false number plates, containing a bag marked with Sellitto’s fingerprints.

Officers were able to track down Sellitto and Deards using CCTV footage from one of the taxis.

The victims identified both men in a line-up as the ones who had broken in to their home.

In a police interview Sellitto denied all knowledge of the offence, while Deards answered no comment to all questions asked of him.

Both were found guilty of aggravated burglary at Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday.

Det Con Louise Clarke said: “This was a frightening experience for the victims who were terrified as the criminals smashed their way into their home. The man was seriously assaulted, and the attack left him in a coma in hospital."

Sellitto was sentenced to ten years in prison, while Deards received six years and six months.

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