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Two Albanians sentenced to 4 years in prison for attempted robbery of English footballer's home
2026-02-03 22:41:06 / AKTUALITET
Two Albanians have been sentenced to four years in prison each in England. They were convicted by English authorities after attempting to burglarize the home of former Aston Villa and Birmingham City footballer Scott Hogan.
The convicted are Denis Puka , 28 years old, and Erisjan Laska, 29 years old.
The Independent writes that they undertook a series of thefts over three consecutive nights last June.
The judge described their attempt as sophisticated and well-planned. They pleaded guilty to seven counts of conspiracy to commit burglary.
Two Albanian thieves have been sentenced to 56 months in prison each after targeting seven properties, including the home of a former Aston Villa and Birmingham City footballer. Denis Puka, 28, and Erisjan Laska, 29 – along with a third person who is yet to be identified – carried out a series of burglaries over three consecutive nights last June.
Judge Steven Everett described their operation as "sophisticated and well-planned", as they had booked an Airbnb in Warrington and travelled from outside the area to use it as a base to commit the offences.
The vehicle used was a Seat Leon, transported from Sheffield, fitted with three false number plates during the robberies – mainly in the Cheshire area. The defendants were also equipped with masks, work tools and walkie-talkies.
The home of former Aston Villa and Birmingham City player Scott Hogan – who currently plays for Milton Keynes Dons – in Northwich, Cheshire, was among the properties targeted between June 5 and 7. Mr Hogan, 33, was woken at around 11.30pm on June 7 by the light of a lantern shining through his bedroom window.
Prosecutor Nardeen Nemat said his pregnant wife and their young daughter were also in the house. She said: "The defendants climbed over the fence and entered the garden. One climbed onto the shoulders of the other and used the support cage of the house to reach the bedroom window."
“Mr. Hogan was in the bedroom when he was awakened by the light of the flashlight shining in his face. He looked out and saw three men on the ground. Mr. Hogan rushed after them, but they ran away.” Nothing was stolen, the prosecutor said, but Mr. Hogan had since installed a new security system to protect his young family.
"Sleepless nights full of stress and anxiety"
In a personal victim statement read out in court, Mr Hogan said the incident had caused “many sleepless nights, filled with stress and anxiety”. He added: “I cannot fully describe in words the dramatic impact this has had on me and my family.”
Two addresses in Blackpool, Lancashire, had been targeted earlier on the evening of June 5. The defendants had entered one of the properties and searched every room except the bedroom where the victims were sleeping, although nothing was stolen in either case. The following night they hit properties in Grappenhall, Knutsford and Northwich.
They left the first two robberies without taking anything, after becoming concerned, but from a villa in Northwich, while the owners were on holiday, they stole a Breitling watch and a Rolex - worth a total of around £9,000.
The prosecutor said that on June 7, before two other targets, they bought metal crowbars at a B&Q store in Warrington. They then tried a cottage in Warrington, from where they fled after being discovered, and then Mr Hogan's home.
Seat Leon found in a residential neighborhood
The defendants were arrested after the Seat Leon was found more than a week later in a residential area of Warrington. Inside the car were found mobile phones, clothes used by the defendants, tools and false number plates. Sentencing them on Tuesday, Judge Everett said: “It is clear that this was a sophisticated and well-planned conspiracy.”
"Each of you must understand the great devastation you have caused with your selfish and despicable actions. Mr Hogan was woken up by a flashlight shining in his face. What a frightening and terrifying experience that must have been." He noted that the pre-sentence report for Laska showed he was "minimising his actions".
The judge told Laska: "You're just going to blame everyone else. I'm sure you think you've been treated unfairly. It's time you woke up and realized the great trauma you've caused."
"An application to the Ministry of Interior is currently under review"
The court heard that Laska, who has a previous conviction for two minor traffic offences, is a father of two young children and married to a British woman, with “an application to the Home Office currently in process.” Puka’s defence lawyer, Phil Astbury, said his client has permanent UK residency.
He added: "He has no previous convictions and is said to come from a very honest family. His mother is shocked by what he has done. He is a young man of positive character, with a good work history and who contributes to the community in every aspect."
Laska, of Eccles Street, Sheffield, and Puka, of Parliament Street, Crediton, Devon, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to seven counts of conspiracy to commit burglary.
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