A MEMBER of a gang of ‘roving burglars’ has finally been brought to justice.

Carl Duckering’s criminal escapades saw him join in a ram-raid of shop, burglar a number of farm buildings across North Yorkshire and take police on a high-speed drug-fuelled chase.

The 30-year-old’s catalogue of offences took place between May 2018 and January last year when he was remanded in custody after committing a number of crimes whilst on bail.

Teesside Crown Court heard how he was one of three men who used a stolen pick-up truck to smash through the security shutters of the Co-op in Great Ayton before fleeing the scene with a haul of cigarette papers and lighters.

During the subsequent police chase, the gang members threw bolt cutters, a hacksaw and a car jack out of the vehicle’s window in an attempt to evade capture, said Paul Newcombe, prosecuting.

Duckering’s next charge involved him being involved in conspiracy to burgle after a different gang of crooks targeted six rural businesses in December 2018.

The Northern Echo: Carl DuckeringCarl Duckering

Mr Newcombe they stole a number of tools and vehicles were stolen over a four-day period.

His third charge was another rural burglary where the defendant and co-conspirators successfully targeted two outbuildings on neighbouring farms in January 2019.

He was arrested when police deployed a stinger to bring the gangs burglary spree to an end.

His final charge involved Duckering reaching speeds in excess of 90mph after he attempted to evade capture while driving under the influence of cocaine and ecstasy in January last year.

Mr Newcombe said the defendant kept switching his lights off as he sped away from police in the early hours before eventually crashing into railings and ramming a police car out of the way before being arrested at his home after abandoning the Skoda Fabia and running away.

Duckering, of Bevanlee Road, South Bank, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to burglary, two conspiracy to burgle, dangerous driving, and driving under the influence of drugs.

Paul Abrahams, in mitigation, said his client had accepted that he cannot ‘continue in this vain’ and hopes to turn his life around once he is released from prison.

Judge Recorder Jamie Hill QC sentenced Duckering to a total of five years and nine months for his catalogue of offending.

“Obviously, ram-raiding is a violent and dramatic way to try and steal a lot of property in a short time,” he said. “Burglary or rural properties is also serious, although these were outbuildings rather than farmhouses themselves, those outbuildings are often vulnerable being in remote locations.

“To make matters worse, most of this offending was when you were part of a group of roving burglars attacking rural areas.”