Banned Darlington driver said he was taking stolen car to Stockton

Darran Jenkinson initially accelerated in the Volkswagen Golf GTI when he saw the police vehicle on a Durham housing estate, but soon decamped and was found hiding in a bin in a nearby garden.

Durham Crown Court was told the 22-year-old defendant, of Skerne Park estate, Darlington, told police he was just following instructions to drive the car “back to Stockton”.

When officers checked his record, it was discovered Jenkinson was the subject of a driving ban at the time, but he expressed surprise, claiming he believed the disqualification had expired.

Michael Cahill, prosecuting, said the Golf was parked outside its owner’s home, in Kepier Crescent, Gilesgate, Durham, overnight from October 8 to 9, last year.

The owner discovered his car keys were missing when he got up to get ready to go to work at 7am on October 9.

On looking outside, he saw that the car was missing and reported the theft to police.

By 1.30pm that day, police saw the Golf being driven in Prebends Field, on the nearby High Grange Estate.

Mr Cahill said the officers noticed the car’s speed momentarily increased, before it was found abandoned in Pilgrim’s Way.

The defendant was found trying to hide from police in a garden bin in Pilgrim’s Way.

He told the officers he was picked up earlier that day, driven to Durham, and dropped off with the instruction to drive the Golf to Stockton.

Jenkinson claimed he thought his 12-month driving ban, only imposed in March last year, had expired.

The defendant, of Wharfe Way, admitted handling stolen goods, driving while disqualified, while unlicensed and without insurance.

Mr Cahill said the defendant’s four past convictions feature offences of vehicle taking and other driving matters.

The offence put him in breach of a 12-month community order imposed for aggravated vehicle taking, in March last year.

Sophie Allinson-Howells, representing the defendant, told the court he accepted the facts as outlined by the prosecution, and her client’s role was, “straightforward and limited”, in following instructions to drive the car, “from point A to point B”.

Miss Allinson-Howells said: “He started driving and panicked when he saw the police and, so, ran from the car.

“He was pretty much immediately apprehended by police.

“The fact he immediately told the police he had been driving is not one of the hallmarks of a significant offender.

“He’s 22, relatively lightly convicted, and has demonstrated a lack of sophistication by his immediate admissions.”

Miss Allinson-Howells said he was out of work and in need of money and so agreed to drive the car.

“He took up the offer, thinking it was easy money.

“He did not know it had recently been taken as a result of a domestic burglary.”

Judge Richard Bennett told Jenkinson that he did not accept the claim that he had limited knowledge of the original offence.

See more court stories from The Northern Echo by clicking here

High value car and safe stolen in Co Durham farm and house burglaries

Caravan worth £21,500 stolen from farm near Barnard Castle

Stanley man arrested in stolen motorhome on remote Scottish isle

Don't miss out on the latest news and stories. Subscribe to the Northern Echo for just £2 for 2 months, click here

“You were being asked to take the vehicle to prevent others being apprehended.”

Imposing an immediate 14-month prison sentence he told Jenkinson he has a “bad record” for driving offences and has not fully engaged with the Probation Service following previous sentences.

He also banned Jenkinson from driving for 13 months, six months of which will still be in place upon his release on licence at the mid-point of the custodial sentence.