A career criminal who attempted to force his way into Hollywood actress Anya Taylor-Joy's bedroom with a crowbar during a terrifying London home invasion has been handed a further prison sentence. Kirk Holdrick, 43, was one of two masked men who smashed their way into the luxury property in February 2023, in a raid that prosecutors believe may have been personally targeted at the celebrity occupants.
The Terrifying Ordeal in London
The incident occurred in the early hours of February 12, 2023, while Taylor-Joy was staying at the London property with her husband, musician Malcolm McRae, and his bandmate Kane Ritchotte. The group heard glass shattering as intruders broke through a side door. McRae confronted the two masked men, who were wearing balaclavas and gloves, before retreating to the bedroom where his wife was hiding.
Barricaded Behind a Bedroom Door
McRae locked the bedroom door and told Taylor-Joy to hide behind the bed as the intruders began forcing the door open with a crowbar. Armed only with a lamp, the rockstar shouted that he had a gun, causing the burglars to pause their efforts. After a brief discussion about the potential firearm, Holdrick and his accomplice fled the property empty-handed.
When Metropolitan Police officers arrived at the scene, the couple remained barricaded inside the bedroom, with visible damage to the door frame. Both Taylor-Joy and McRae reported being traumatised by the experience and expressed fears about being targeted again in the future.
A Pattern of Escalating Criminal Behaviour
Prosecutors highlighted to Judge Barbara Mensah that the burglars' decision to target the bedroom rather than simply stealing valuable items from elsewhere in the home suggested the raid may have been specifically aimed at the celebrity occupants. This theory gained further credibility when, just nine days after the thwarted attack on Taylor-Joy and McRae, Holdrick committed another serious home invasion.
The Sandbanks Robbery
In this subsequent incident, Holdrick and accomplice Ashley Fulton disguised themselves as police officers to target the home of wealthy businessman Mark Aitchison in Sandbanks, overlooking Poole harbour. The intruders held Aitchison's wife Kerry at gunpoint, used cable ties to restrain her, and threatened to kill her if she didn't open the family safe.
When the couple's daughter Emily arrived home unexpectedly, she was seized by the robbers, dragged by her hair, and threatened with violence. The intruders specifically asked for an iron, telling her: 'We want to burn you.' They also threatened to shoot her in front of her mother. Although the safe remained unopened, the robbers fled with approximately £200,000 worth of luxury watches, designer handbags, jewellery, and cash.
Forensic Evidence and Legal Proceedings
Investigators found compelling forensic evidence linking Holdrick to the London burglary. CCTV footage captured the moment he and his accomplice scaled a wall to access the property, triggering an external security light. Holdrick left his DNA on the back door, while shoe prints from his trainers were discovered outside the bedroom door.
Despite initially denying involvement and claiming his DNA was present because he had attended a party at the property in the past, Holdrick eventually abandoned his defence. He pleaded guilty to burglary in mid-December last year, leading to his recent sentencing.
A Life of Crime
Holdrick, who also used the alias Aaron Evans, is originally from Borehamwood in Hertfordshire and has convictions dating back to his teenage years. He was previously jailed for life in 2005 for armed robberies targeting a security van transporting cash and a jewellers. Following his latest offences, he was recalled to prison to continue serving this life sentence.
For the Sandbanks robbery, Holdrick received a 12-year prison sentence last November after pleading guilty to two counts of robbery, possession of an imitation firearm, and fraud. He was also given four extra years on licence should he ever be released.
Legal Determination and Celebrity Resilience
During the legal proceedings, Holdrick's lawyers attempted to convince the Crown Prosecution Service to drop the burglary charge related to the Taylor-Joy incident, arguing that he was already serving a life sentence and had admitted to the Sandbanks offences. However, the CPS insisted on pursuing the case, maintaining that the London burglary represented part of an escalating pattern of criminal behaviour that needed to be addressed separately.
Remarkably, just one week after her traumatic experience, Anya Taylor-Joy appeared on the Baftas red carpet, demonstrating resilience in the face of the frightening ordeal. The Golden Globe-winning actress, known for her roles in The Queen's Gambit, the Dune movies, and Peaky Blinders, has continued her professional commitments despite the personal violation she experienced.
The additional three-year sentence for the London burglary ensures that Holdrick will remain behind bars for the foreseeable future, providing some measure of justice for his victims and protection for the public from his dangerous criminal activities.
