Darlington robber jailed despite young life blighted by two killings

Sean Taylor pretended to help a group of revellers find an open takeaway in Darlington town centre by leading them down a quiet rear alley before snatching the victim’s handbag and running away.

The 32-year-old used the woman’s bank card at a nearby petrol station before being arrested in the grounds of Darlington Memorial Hospital after he was spotted acting suspiciously in the early hours of November 30 last year.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the defendant’s life had spiralled out of control after he endured an ‘absurd childhood’ when his father’s girlfriend, Julie Paterson, was killed by the notorious ‘cannibal killer’ David Harker.

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Robert Mochrie, mitigating, told the court how Taylor’s father then murdered his friend after descending into a deep depression in a desperate attempt to confront Harker in prison.

Sean Taylor (Image: Durham Constabulary)

He said: “At the time the defendant’s father was in a long-term relationship with Julie Paterson and the consequences of that murder sent this defendant’s father into an extreme downward spiral of mental health problems.

“He himself committed a murder in a way to confront Mr Harker. All of this played out in front of this defendant who was very young.

“To compound matters, his father then took his own life in prison in 2007. All of this coincided with the defendant entering the court system.

“Since he witnessed and lived through these issues his life has been mired in drink and drug related issues and criminality associated with it.”

Alan Taylor, the father of Sean Taylor (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Mr Mochrie said his client was living homeless at the time of the offence and had been sleeping in the arches near to the Cornmill Shopping Centre in Darlington.

He added: “I am not trying to justify his actions as this must have been an extremely scary ordeal for this woman.

“The defendant is remorseful for his actions.”

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Rachel Masters, prosecuting, said Taylor approached the group of friends as they walked along Skinnergate before luring them into Duke Street and then onto Raby Terrace where he grabbed the woman’s handbag.

She said Taylor managed to flee the scene after a short struggle with the bag containing the victim’s new iPhone, keys, bank cards and perfume.

The court heard how the defendant had 40 convictions for 85 previous offences, including affray, possession of a knife and burglary.

Taylor, who appeared in court via video link from HMP Durham, pleaded guilty to robbery and fraud by false representation.

Recorder Mark McKone KC sympathised with the defendant’s traumatic past as he jailed for 27 months for both offences.