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Dalton Mtengwa
Stockport must act to halt gang ‘cancer’
Alex Scapens24/10/2007
AN AMERICAN gang expert has warned of the growing influence of his country’s violent street culture after four Stockport thugs were investigated for links to a notorious USA gang.
Dalton Mtengwa, 17, Herman Dias, 15, Dire King-Thomas, 15, and Ivo Neto, 16, were arrested after a three-month campaign of terrifying robberies, including one with an imitation firearm.
Mtengwa and King-Thomas told one victim they would "blow his brains out" but all escaped jail at Minshull Street Crown Court this week when they were given anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs).
The court heard the teenagers were investigated for links to the infamous Oregon-based 503 gang, whose members wear one glove, travel in groups of three to five and "get credibility" for robbing people.
And Robert Walker, a US gang consultant who has liaised with prison authorities in Oregon, says Stockport should take steps now to ensure the "cancer" of gangs does not spread further.
Speaking exclusively to the Stockport Express from the United States, he said: "If there are individual gangs in your area you need to pay attention right now as it is going to spread like a cancer. It may be in the near future or further off but there will be a big problem.
"Gang culture changes almost daily here, no one can keep up. England doesn’t have as easy access to weapons - although that is changing - over here all gangs have access to firearms.
"In America authorities ignored the problem for too long and just let it go on. A zero tolerance policy is needed from the start."
Mtenga, of Shaw Road, Adswood, admitted three counts of robbery and possession of a firearm, and Dias, of Rostherne Road, Stockport, admitted one count of robbery.
While Neto, of Eccleston Road, Adswood, admitted four counts of robbery, King-Thomas, of Lowfield Road, Stockport, pleaded guilty to theft and possession of a firearm,
All were given a four-year ASBO, banned from congregating in groups of more than three and a 7pm-7am curfew. They must also take part in the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme.
It was said one of their young female victims was left afraid of any Afro-Carribbean person she saw.
The thugs carried out nine robberies during February this year, where the victims were initially asked to look at the time on their mobile phone before being threatened into handing it over.
Judge Bernard Lever said: "The thing that should make you most ashamed, apart from the great distress you have caused to these victims, is the remark by that girl that she is very very nervous of seeing any black person.
"There was some information obtained by police officers that it (the robbery campaign) was attached to a gang in America.
"If they had been members of the 503 gang, which aimed at getting them street credibility, they would have faced a very, very substantial sentence indeed. I am going to ignore that notion of gang culture altogether."
Officers had been ordered to find proof the yobs were 503 gang members but prosecution lawyers accepted there was no evidence against them of membership.
PC Sue Callaghan from Stockport’s youth offending team said: "We are very pleased they have been given four-year ASBOs as it will go towards protecting the residents of Stockport from this type of behaviour."
The 503 gang emerged from Portland in 1992, taking its name from the local telephone area code.
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