20 months jail for village thief
A SERIAL thief who targeted high value farm Quad bikes in rural areas has been jailed for 20 months.
Benjamin Barnes, 26, stole two quad bikes and was caught transporting a hot 4X4 quad in the back of his transit van 24 hours after it was stolen from a house at West End, Kilham.
He was breaking them down for bits with the aim of selling them on for a quick profit.
Jailing Barnes at Hull Crown Court, Judge Michael Mettyear said: “You have a bad record of offending that goes back a long way. A pre-sentence report describes you as a person with a complete lack of remorse and no understanding of your victims. The chances of you re-offending are high and you have pro-criminal views.”
Crown barrister Jharna Jobes said Barnes’ crime spree started in Howden with a high-value Nissan in July and then burglary of an outbuilding at Thirtleby near Burton Constable for 4X4 quad bike. Barnes stole the Land Rover Defender at Elloughton in August and the Kilham Quad bike was found in the back of his van 24 hours after a burglary in October. He was in the next village getting out of his transit van to visit a news agents when police became suspicious and searched his vehicle.
Ms Jobes said Barnes also asked for three other thefts of motor vehicles to be taken into consideration including stealing a £14,000 tractor at North Cave on June 1 to try and tow a 4X4 stuck in the mud and theft of two other quad bikes.
She said Barnes had allowed others to use to his premises to break down stolen vehicles and when he ran into trouble he would abandon the vehicles. The Nissan was found on a garage forecourt with false number plates with his finger prints on it.
Barnes of Council Avenue, Hull, appeared at Hull Crown Court for sentence for charges of burglary, three thefts of motor vehicles and three offences of handling of stolen goods.
The court was told he had a lengthy record for theft, handling stolen goods and possession of drugs and was jailed for 16 months for handling stolen goods and concealing criminal property.
Jeffrey Lister, 26, of Westlands Close, Hedon, appeared sided-by side with Barnes. He admitted one charge of handling the stolen 4X4 quad bike taken from a house at WestEnd, Kilham,
Defence barrister John Thackray said Barnes had contact with his children through his ex-partner and had taken advantage of operation clean slate with Humberside police to clear up past offences. Barrister Harold Bloomfield said Lister was less heavily involved.
Judge Mettyear said Barnes claims to be making a fresh start were a façade. He said: “You are at the moment dedicated to criminality.” He gave Barnes 20 months in prison and Lister a 12-month community order and 200 hours community punishment.
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Wednesday 22 May 2013
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