Men Sentenced In Poker Pro Armed Robbery Case

A court in Stafford, UK sentenced two men to prison terms this week for committing an armed robbery against a poker pro who was getting set to play in an international tournament.

Professional poker player Tom Carpenter was the victim of the armed robbery in his native UK wherein the burglars stole funds that were meant to finance Carpenter's tournament trip to Las Vegas. $5,000 in US cash and £7,000 were stolen by David Burns and Andrew Craig, who threatened Carpenter with machetes.

When police managed to track down the robbers, the men both admitted to the crime. A third man was also involved, but he has died since the robbery and thus can not be charged.

Judge Michael Chambers sentenced Burns to 42 months in prison, with Craig getting 32 months behind bars.

Speaking to the defendants about their crimes, Chambers said: "This was a highly planned and professional burglary. It must have been an extremely frightening experience."