Fake Amazon delivery driver forced his way into home before beating and robbing three women

A convicted sex trafficker who posed as an Amazon delivery driver to force his way into a home and assualt three women has been jailed.

Sandel Hornea, 36, wore a hi-vis jacket and carried a delivery box to trick his victims into opening the door.

He then beat two women leaving them unconcious, before dragging them into the kitchen.

Hornea went on to punch another woman in the face five times before stealing three electrical items from the house in an attack that was captured in CCTV footage.

He was sentenced today (14 October) to 16 years in prison for his "shocking and savage attack" on the three women, which recently featured on Channel 4’s show 24 Hours in Police Custody.

How the attack unfolded

Hornea, who has previous convictions for child prostitution and sex trafficking, approached the family’s home in Luton, Bedfordshire at around 10.30am on September 2, 2019.

Dressed as an Amazon delivery driver, he rang the doorbell and immediately punched a 14-year-old girl in the face when she opened the door, knocking her unconscious.

He then entered the home and hit the girl’s screaming grandmother, 61, in the head - also knocking her out - before dragging the pair through the hallway into their kitchen.

When a third woman, the teen’s aunt, came down the stairs, Hornea punched her five times in the face and forced her into the kitchen too.

Hornea, who moved to the UK in 2018 after serving 11 and a half years in prison in Romania, went on to steal a satellite TV box, Nintendo Wii and a games console before fleeing the house.

Later that day, Hornea fled to his home country of Romania on a plane before he was apprehended via a European Arrest Warrant and extradited to the UK on February 11 this year.

He pleaded guilty to robbery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Hornea later told his solicitors that he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol and that he had been told by someone else to commit the robbery and assaults.

‘It’s clear that this attack was pre-planned’

Sentencing, Judge Mark Bishop said that Hornea’s previous custodial sentences were an aggravating factor in the severity of his prison term.

Hornea served 11 and a half years in prison in Romania for a string of offences including assault, sex trafficking and controlling a child aged between 13 and 17 for prostitution.

In his remarks, Judge Bishop said: "It’s clear that this attack was targetted and pre-planned.

"This is something obvious by your subterfuge being dressed as an Amazon delivery driver, carrying what looked like a delivery.

"Your use of violence was immediate and ruthless and chilling to watch."

Victim ‘no longer feels safe at home’

The 14-year-old victim suffered fractures to her face, while the 61-year-old victim suffered two bleeds on her brain - both were hospitalised. The third victim sustained bruising to her face.

A victim statement from the teenage victim, summarised in court by the judge, said that she often has nightmares about her house being broken into.

Judge Bishop said: "She no longer feels safe at home, which is a place that she should feel safe in.

"When the doorbell rings she feels as if she wants to run away. She now has anxiety and stress."

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