In London, a significant legal case concluded with the sentencing of three individuals who conspired to murder a former cage fighter linked to an infamous heist. On Friday, these men received a collective sentence exceeding 100 years in prison at the Old Bailey, London’s Central Criminal Court, wrapping up a case reminiscent of a suspenseful crime movie.
The case, which spanned six years, featured intriguing elements such as the underwater retrieval of an iPad from the River Thames, the theft of valuable antiques from a Geneva museum, and an audacious attempt to sell these items in Hong Kong.
Daniel Kelly and brothers Louis and Stewart Ahearne were convicted of plotting to kill Paul Allen, who was shot in 2019, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. The attack occurred while Allen was at his residence in Woodford Green, northeast London. Judge Sarah Whitehouse handed Kelly a 36-year sentence with an additional five-year extended license period. Louis Ahearne also received a 36-year sentence, while Stewart Ahearne was sentenced to 30 years. All are required to serve at least two-thirds of their terms before parole eligibility.
Judge Whitehouse highlighted the financial motives behind their conspiracy to murder Allen. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Allen was deeply involved in criminal activities, having been convicted in 2009 for his significant role in a massive armed robbery in Kent, England, where £54 million was stolen—a sum largely unrecovered to this day.
The court heard that in early June 2019, prior to the shooting, the men committed a robbery at the Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva. Three Ming-era porcelain items, valued at approximately $3.6 million, were stolen, which they later attempted to auction in Hong Kong, including a prominent phoenix bowl.
Throughout the trial, similarities between the robbery and Allen’s shooting emerged, notably involving a hired Renault Captur vehicle used in the crimes. Further evidence surfaced when investigators retrieved an iPad from the River Thames in November 2024, showing it had tracked Allen’s movements leading up to the attack.
Detective Superintendent Matt Webb, who spearheaded the investigation for the Metropolitan Police, remarked that while the case had the appearance of a cinematic plot, it was a stark manifestation of grave criminal acts.