A FARMER who handled £50,000 of stolen goods while they were concealed and dismantled on his premises has escaped prison.

Stuart Frederick McCarroll, who was previously jailed for three-and-a-half years for aggravated burglary, was given a suspended prison sentence and a night-time curfew.

The 51-year-old appeared at Teesside Crown Court alongside his son, 26-year-old Stuart McCarroll, Graham Hickman, 28, and Wayne Telford, 32. All four pleaded guilty to money laundering.

Christopher Knox, prosecuting, said that although the farm was listed as an agricultural holding it was used to deal and trade property that was stolen.

He added that police found “a substantial quantity of plant and machinery” during searches of the premises.

McCarroll senior, of Sun Ridge Farm, Thornley, and McCarroll junior, of Poplar Terrace, Shotton Colliery, were arrested after multiple stolen vehicles, including a £34,000 mini digger, were found at the farm.

In some cases the Vehicle Identification Number, a unique code given to every on-road vehicle, was removed.

Parts were taken to scrapheaps or sold on an eBay account by Hickman, of Garden Terrace, Thornley.

Telford, of Jack Lawson Terrace, Wheatley Hill, was arrested after police found the shell of a stolen vehicle, from the farm, in his van.

Lloyd Morgan, defending McCarroll senior, said his client had been “under threat from people”. Police accepted that a larger group was involved.

McCarroll junior and Hickman were good characters who were just enthusiastic participants, the court heard.

Telford’s role was described as relatively modest and he was said to have no part in the larger conspiracy.

Judge Howard Crowson said: “There was a great deal of stolen machinery at the farm. Some of it had been dismantled. Some identifying mechanisms had been removed.”

He imposed a two-year suspended prison sentence and a 12-week curfew from 8pm to 6am on McCarroll senior.

McCarroll junior and Hickman also received suspended prison sentences and were ordered to do 100 hours’ and 80 hours’ unpaid work respectively.

Telford received a 12-month community order with 80 hours’ unpaid work.