Hunt crime syndicate gangster 'The Dread' avoids jail due to prison overcrowding: One of UK's most feared criminals was found with stash of knives in raid on his £1m home

A gangster who was found with a stash of knives during a police swoop against an organised crime gang has avoided jail due to Labour's reforms to tackle prison overcrowding. Carl 'The Dread' Robinson, 49, was one of several people arrested when around 800 officers raided 24 properties across London, Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk in September. The operation, which also involved HMRC and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), is believed to have been targeting the 'Hunt Syndicate' - a criminal network linked to suspected crime boss David 'Long Fella' Hunt.Met detectives are looking into finance offences, including tax evasion and money laundering, as well as a conspiracy to commit GBH.Robinson is an associate of Hunt and has a long criminal history. Known as 'The Dread' due to his dreadlocks and fearsome reputation, he has previously been linked by police intelligence to gangs in north London. In 2016, a BBC Panorama documentary aired claims Mr Hunt had sanctioned a plot to kill three Met police officers. Robinson was said to have taken up the £1million contract. But speaking to crime blog The Upsetter this week at court, he strongly denied the claim, saying: 'The idea I'm going to be waiting outside a police station to off three police - they're the biggest firm. I'd be gone.'Asked about Mr Hunt, he replied: 'Davey's a private man. He's 65. I'm 49. He's enjoying his grandkids. I got my kids. He's more of a recluse than I am.' Carl Robinson, 49, was one of several people placed under police enquiries when around 800 officers raided 24 properties in September Robinson and 17 other people remain on police bail in connection with the wider investigation A blue bladed karambit knife that was found during a search of Robinson's home During a search of Robinson's £1million-plus, five-bedroom country cottage home on September 29, officers found a blue bladed karambit knife, and two flick knives with black and ivory handles respectively.Robinson appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on October 1 and pleaded guilty to each offence.A sentencing hearing on Monday was told the three weapons were found in a kitchen drawer of his home, which he shares with his partner and four children. Prosecuting, Hale Wheeler said: 'The search was conducted, as part of a larger investigation, at the defendant's premises on September 29 and a large number of items were discovered there.'The charges relate to the three items, of which there are photographs, found in the kitchen drawer.'The court heard he has a history of possessing offensive weapons and was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 35 days of rehabilitation in June 2025 after he pleaded guilty to possession of eight offensive weapons during an earlier search of his house. On April 8, 2025, he was found in possession of an array of weapons, including two samurai swords, two knuckle dusters, a large bladed K25 tactical knife, a wooden-handled machete and a friction lock baton.He admitted eight counts of possessing offensive weapons in a private place at Thames Magistrates' Court on April 10 last year.On June 10, 2025, he received a 12-month rehabilitation order with £4,085 of fines, costs and victim surcharge for the offences.In June and July 2006, he received two separate 12-month prison sentences after he admitted to two separate offences of carrying a bladed article in a public place.The court also heard he has a possession of a firearm conviction from 1997.Ms Wheeler added: 'It is fair to say the majority of his convictions are for weapons of some kind which is clearly aggravating.'Defending, Shila Keshvari said Robinson had tried to clear his home of all weapons after the 2025 conviction, but these three were later found in the kitchen.She said: 'They live on farming land and the children used them to skin rabbits with.'I have seen pictures of game activity taking place on the farm, which is lawful. He has indicated [the knives] are not lawful and he won't have them on the property again.'He has a responsibility to teach his children and to be a role model and he pleaded guilty on the last occasion and carried out his community penalty.'District Judge Michael Snow said he did not believe Robinson's explanation that he did not know they were still in the kitchen drawer as they were 'clearly visible'.He handed the criminal a 48-week jail term but said this would have to be suspended due to a new sentencing regime that aims to ease prison overcrowding.The rules require judges to suspend jail terms of 12 months or less unless there are exceptional circumstances. Mr Snow told Robinson: 'The flick knives and karambit knife could all cause significant injury or death to anyone they were used against.'The courts must impose sentences to deter people from possessing knives to achieve a reduction in crime and the correct starting point is 24 weeks for each given your very bad record for possession of offensive weapons and taking your guilty pleas into account that is reduced to 16 weeks. 'It has to be consecutive for each offence so that is a total of 48 weeks in prison. But you do benefit from the changes in the sentencing regime because this is not an exceptional case so I must suspend that sentence for 18 months.'Robinson will only be jailed if he commits any further offences during the 18-month suspension period.Officers also found a flick knife with an ivory handle Another flick knife with a black handle that was recovered during the search Officers found several a search of Robinson's £1million-plus, five-bedroom country cottage homeHe was also ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £272 in costs. Robinson and 17 other people remain on police bail in connection with the wider investigation.A day before Robinson pleaded guilty to the three knife offences, the court made an order preventing any witnesses in the case from being named. Instead, they can only be identified by codes.As the wider investigation is so sensitive, certain staff at the Crown Prosecution Service have been 'locked out' of access to any of the case files.Three suspects have been charged with unconnected offences following September's raids.Andreas Nicolas, 64, of Duxford in Cambridgeshire was charged with possession of a revolver and possession of an electricity-discharging weapon.The company director was remanded in custody and appeared at Southwark Crown Court on October 30 when he pleaded not guilty.Chartered accountant Charles Charalambous, 56, of Cockfosters, was charged with wounding with intent to cause GBH to resist arrest in relation to an incident where a police officer was stabbed while executing a warrant during the raids.He appeared at Southwark Crown Court last month and also pleaded not guilty to wounding with intent to prevent or resisting arrest.Prosecutor David Burns told an earlier hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court that a sum of cash totalling £500,000 was found at the property.The court heard that Charalambous, who was at home with his wife and three children, suspected burglars were breaking in when police arrived.Defending, Clea Topolski told the court that the police officers were wearing 'balaclavas and dark clothing' and that they came in the 'dead of night'.She said her client was acting in self-defence.Bradley Byford, 37, of Bishop's Stortford was charged with possession of an electricity-discharging weapon.He also appeared at Southwark Crown Court, but no plea was put to him.The three are due to appear back at the same court next month.