Rawmarsh man in court over farmhouse raid where guns were stolen

A RAWMARSH man accused of stealing shotguns and cash from a farmhouse while the owner was out has gone on trial.

Ashley Goodinson (39), of South Street, Rawmarsh, is said to have been part of a gang of three men and a woman who burgled a farmhouse in Bradgate, Sheffield, on April 20, shortly after 2pm.

He is said to have taken six shotguns, 400 shotgun pellets and £2,000 in cash from the farmhouse while the owner was out.

Prosecutor Mr Martin Robertshaw told Sheffield Crown Court there was no doubt a burglary was committed, however, jurors had to decide whether Goodinson was one of the burglars.

The burglars kicked the front door in and, at some stage, the upstairs windows were opened, Mr Robertshaw told the court.

The gang put a ladder up against the farmhouse so they could remove their stolen goods.

“Having gained entry to the premises, the intruders went to the ground floor,” Mr Robertshaw told the court.

“There was a safe cabinet that was secured to the wall and force was used by the burglars to remove that cabinet.

“They removed it in its entirety and inside that cabinet was six shotguns and £2,000 in cash.”

The burglars also raided the living room and took 400 shotgun pellets, Mr Robertshaw told the court.

They used a white Mercedes van to carry away their stolen goods, he said.

“The farmer obtained a dashcam image of the van and recorded the registration of the vehicle,” Mr Robertshaw told the court.

Goodinson was identified as the owner of the van and was interviewed by the police the following day.

His then-girlfriend, Ms Jessica Allen, had already admitted handling stolen goods, Mr Robertson told the court.

Three of the shotguns and the cash were recovered from her flat.

Jurors were shown CCTV footage recovered by the police which showed Allen and three men walking in and out of her flat.

Mr Robertshaw said one of those men was Goodinson.

Goodinson told police he was not part of the burglary team when he was interviewed by police, Mr Robertshaw told the court.

He later told police he had not been driving the white Mercedes van at the time of the burglary and someone must have taken his spare keys without permission.

Giving evidence, Ms Allen identified the man on the CCTV footage coming in and out of her flat as Goodinson.

Goodinson denies one count of burglary.

The trial continues.