Three soldiers from Queen’s elite Grenadier Guards are jailed for 24 years

Three elite soldiers from the Queen’s elite Grenadier Guards have been jailed for a total of 24 years after holding up seven convenience stores in just three days.

Kristopher James-Merrill, 20, Dillon Sharpe, 23, and Elnur Bracegirdle, 21, used a stun gun and knives to terrorise shop owners across south London.

The Grenadier Guards regiment is one of the most senior in the British Army with soldiers recognised by the scarlet tunic and bearskin uniforms they wear while on ceremonial duty at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. 

Together with former QPR youth player Marlon Wright, 26, the trio were convicted of carrying out a wave of armed robberies after a trial at Kingston Crown Court.

Sharpe, from Dulwich, and Bracegirdle, from Preston, burst into a Brixton off licence at around 1am on January 10 last year.

As Bracegirdle guarded the door, Sharpe activated his stun gun – causing sparks to fly – and shouted ‘open the door’ at the cashier.

The victim saw Bracegirdle holding a knife by the door and did as he was told, opening the till and stepping back.

Sharpe began filling a blue carrier bag with cash. Both suspects then fled the scene and the victim immediately called police.

On their way to the scene, officers saw two men matching the suspects’ descriptions and detained them.

Sharpe was still wearing his balaclava when he was arrested, and was in possession of the blue bag of cash, gloves and the stun gun.

He was behind 11 previous robberies in February and July 2018 – seven involving James-Merrill and Wright.

Officers attempted to arrest James-Merrill, from Brixton, at his barracks, but he was not there. He then handed himself in at Wandsworth police station later the same day.

In his bedroom police found a fake gun identical to the one used in one offence in Brighton Road on 24 July 2019, with the victim’s DNA on it.

The three men, who were soldiers in the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, were believed to have been based at the Lille Barracks in Aldershot, Hampshire. 

Judge Timothy Lamb QC, said: ‘This sentencing exercise involves 12 robberies and 13 supplementary offences for firearms and bladed articles.

‘With the exception of Wright each was a serving guardsman at the time. I imagine the army will express their concern at the disgrace which the three soldier defendants have generated but that is not my concern.

‘The principle difficulty for the court is that Sharpe falls to be sentenced for 24 offences and so totality comes into play in his case.

‘But then it is also necessary to distinguish the relative seriousness of the four defendants.

‘Sharpe, armed with an imitation or disguised firearm and on one occasion accompanied by Bracegirdle, would burst into a convenience store late at night demanding items of high value.

‘Although some shopkeepers put up resistance mercifully no long-lasting injury was inflicted.

‘As for the psychological effects these remarks of one of the store keepers are perhaps typical: “I’m very scared because of this incident. When people walk into the shop I fear they might want to attack me.

“I could not sleep in the night, I’m getting nightmares and I don’t want to come to work.”‘

The judge noted that ‘isolated shopkeepers closing up at the end of the day’ had been targeted because of their vulnerability.

Judge Lamb went on: ‘Sharpe is making the most of his time in custody. He is involved in a violence reduction program and was assessed as being low risk.

‘James-Merrill though only 18 at the time of his offending he had been in the army for a couple of years and had tasted adulthood.

‘Wright has written a letter. He was effectively of good character and devoted some of his time to helping others with problems. He is deploying this side of his character in custody.

‘Some might think that for seven robberies i ought to be more harsh than in the event I am going to be.

‘However as I have already said I have to mark the relative seriousness of the four defendants’ criminality. As for James-Merrill and Wright the personal mitigation might lead to a minimal adjustment.

‘I am satisfied that looking at the overall picture of this sentencing exercise I am right to treat them both in the same way.

‘There is much to be said for [Bracegirdle]. It was a spur of the moment decision to take part in the robbery.

‘He has shown empathy for the victims of his crime evidenced by a letter to the shopkeeper but for me it is the horrifying nature of the robbery which puts him into a different category of seriousness from Wright and James-Merrill.

‘Some shopkeepers felt able to tackle Sharpe while he stood alone with his gun but what were they to do with two armed attackers?’

Sharpe was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment because of his violent role in the attacks.

James-Merrill and Wright were both jailed for five years. Bracegirdle was locked up for six years.

The judge praised the bravery of the shopkeepers in his final remarks and said he would nominate them for a High Sheriff award.

He added: ‘I can’t leave this case without praising those shopkeepers who were able to find within themselves the strength to fight back and I will be recommending to the High Sheriff that he consider making award to them.’

Fraser Coxhill, prosecuting, said: ‘Over a three day period between the 24th and 26th of July 2018, the same hooded and masked man entered seven small convenience shops and robbed or attempted to rob the shop keepers of cash.

‘On each occasion he threatened them with what appeared to be a firearm.

‘These defendants together with another male, Dillon Sharpe, each played a role in these offences.

‘There isn’t any dispute that the defendants were known to each other, they were serving Grenadier Guardsmen, Mr Wright was good friends with both of them.’

In February 2018, Sharpe robbed three shops – a convenience store on Upper Tulse Hill on February 10, a newsagent in Leigham Vale on February 12 and another newsagent on Tulse Hill also on February 12.

He attempted to rob a shop on Norwood Road on February 9.

And in July, this time accompanied by James-Merill and Wright, he committed seven more offences.

The group robbed two shops in south Croydon and Merton on July 24, and in Streatham Vale on July 25.

They also attempted three robberies on July 26 – two in Kingston and one in West Molesey, as well as an attempted robbery in Wallington on July 24.

James-Merrill and Wright were convicted by a jury of three counts of robbery, four of attempted robbery and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear or violence.

Sharpe admitted 12 robberies, 11 counts of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and one count of possessing a prohibited weapon.

Bracegirdle admitted one count of robbery and one count of possessing a bladed article in public place.

Detective Sergeant Jamie Witts, from the Flying Squad, said: ‘This case is both shocking and somewhat disheartening in that these men who were in positions of responsibility and trust – three of whom have served their country in the armed forces – resorted to targeting hardworking shopkeepers late at night.’