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Fake delivery driver who launched 'chilling' attack on family in their own home is jailed

Watch: Bogus delivery driver assaults and robs three woman

A violent attacker who forced his way into a home before assaulting and robbing three women has been jailed.

Sandel Hornea, 36, posed as a delivery driver to gain access to the property. Carrying a parcel and wearing a high-vis jacket, footage shows him storming into the property in Luton, Bedfordshire, as the front door was opened.

A camera installed inside the house caught Hornea assaulting a 14-year-old girl, her aunt and her grandmother.

Sandel Hornea forced his way into a family home and assaulted two women and a teenage girl inside. (SWNS)
Sandel Hornea forced his way into a family home and assaulted two women and a teenage girl inside. (SWNS)
Sandel Hornea was carrying a parcel and wearing a high-vis jacket when he stormed the property. (SWNS)
Sandel Hornea was carrying a parcel and wearing a high-vis jacket when he stormed the property. (SWNS)

The women suffered serious injuries during the assault at their home in September 2019.

The distressing footage was widely shared on social media by thousands in an attempt to identify and find Hornea.

A £20,000 reward for information leading to Hornea’s whereabouts was also offered by the family of the three victims.

But as the video spread across the internet, Hornea fled the UK to his home country of Romania.

Sandel Hornea fled the UK after footage of the assault went viral on social media. (SWNS)
Sandel Hornea fled the UK after footage of the assault went viral on social media. (SWNS)
Sandel Hornea was extradited to the UK this year. (SWNS)
Sandel Hornea was extradited to the UK this year. (SWNS)
Sandel Hornea posed as a delivery driver to force his way into the house. (SWNS)
Sandel Hornea posed as a delivery driver to force his way into the house. (SWNS)

The international manhunt also saw police investigate sightings of Hornea in Switzerland but he was finally arrested and extradited back to the UK in March this year.

Hornea pleaded guilty to two counts of grievous bodily harm and one each of actual bodily harm and robbery.

According to BedfordshireLive, he was sentenced to 11 years for robbery and a further 14 years on two counts of assault.

The judge said of the brutal attack: "The attack was targeted and pre-planned. Your use of violence was immediate and chilling to watch.

"No one else should suffer what you made her family suffer."

The case has recently featured on Channel 4 documentary 24 Hours in Police Custody.

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