Banned Durham driver took his grandfather's car from outside his home

Durham Crown Court was told Darren John Wild had exhausted his parents’ patience following previous offending, including several motoring-related convictions, and had been shown the door, only to be given a roof over his head thanks to the generosity of his grandparents.

Charlie Thompson, prosecuting, said the most recent of Wild’s motoring offences was for dangerous driving in a police chase, for which he received an 18-month prison sentence and earned a 21-month disqualification, in 2020.

As part of that sentence he was told he could only drive again legally by passing an extended re-test upon the expiry of the period of the ban.

(Image: Durham Constabulary)

Mr Thompson said Wild had not taken an extended re-test and so remained disqualified at the time of his latest motoring offences, in the early hours of April 25 this year.

Wild had been watching television at his grandparents’ home in Brandon, near Durham, when his grandfather went to bed the previous night.

He was still doing so when his grandfather checked at 2am, but by 5.15am, he had left the house.

Upon checking, his grandad realised that his black Kia Sportage was missing from outside his home.

Mr Wild snr had owned the car for two years and believed it was worth in the region of £9,000.

He tried to ring his grandson, but there was no answer, so he spoke to the defendant’s father, who suggested they should report it to police.

Mr Thompson said an officer on motor patrol subsequently passed the car in the Gilesgate area of Durham and it was flagged up on number plate check as being a suspected stolen vehicle.

The officer turned around and followed the Kia, catching up with it on the approach to the Gilesgate roundabout, where he signalled for Wild to pull over.

He did so and was arrested on suspicion of taking the car and driving while disqualified.

The 30-year-old defendant, formerly of Dragonville, Sherburn Road, Durham, has since remained in custody.

He admitted theft of the car keys, taking his grandfather’s car without authority and driving while disqualified when he appeared over the prison to court video link at a plea hearing on May 30.

(Image: Durham Constabulary)

Today’s (Wed August 14) sentencing hearing was told the defendant’s antecedent history included relevant offences of driving with excess alcohol in his system, in 2013 and 2020, and dangerous driving, also in 2020, for which he was jailed and received the most recent driving ban.

The court was read a victim statement from the defendant’s grandfather who said that although they were aware of the defendant's drink and drug problem, they agreed to take him in, earlier this year, after he had been homeless for three months.

Mr Wild snr said: “I didn’t think he would do anything like this to me”, adding that he needed the car to take his wife for medical appointments.

Tony Davis, for Wild, told the court the defendant is now, “fulsome with regret and remorse.”

Mr Davis conceded: “It was a mean and callous offence on those who were offering him somewhere to live.

“He’s had problems with substance misuse, escalating to offences where he has been under the influence.”

Mr Davis said the defendant has spent three months-plus in custody, the equivalent of more than a six-month prison sentence, during which he has engaged with the drugs and alcohol referral service.

He said it may, now, be of more assistance to further reduce his risk of further offending by working with him in the community.

“If he was to receive a short sentence now, he would not receive anything like the supervision he requires to really address the substance misuse that has blighted him.

“He’s not been previously fully open with the professionals who are there to assist him and he now realises he needs to address his consequential thinking process.”

Judge Peter Armstrong agreed, but only because of the time the defendant has spent in custody already and the prompt guilty pleas he tendered in this case.

He told the defendant: “These were somewhat mean offences as you had been taken in by your grandparents when your parents wouldn’t have you in their house any more because of the trouble you brought.

“And, yet, there you were, doing it again, and only because you were seen by the police you were caught and ended up in custody, where you have been for some time now.

“It’s because of that time you have spent on remand that I can step back from passing a longer sentence.

“You need help with your drugs problem.

“It’s in your interests and those of the general community that your problems are addressed, and you receive help.

“Locking you up for a slightly longer period isn’t going to do anyone much good.”

(Image: The Northern Echo)

Judge Armstrong, therefore, imposed an 18-month community order with 30 rehabilitation activity days and a 26-day programme tailored to meet the defendant's requirements, both overseen by the Probation Service.

Wild was also made subject of three-monthly drug rehabilitation reviews to monitor his progress during the period of the community order.

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Judge Armstrong told the defendant: “No-one is expecting perfection, immediately, but you need to show you are making progress to address your drug issues.”

Wild was also made subject of a further two-year driving ban, with the requirement to pass an extended re-test to be legally allowed to drive in future.

A restraining order was put in place prohibiting him from attending at his grandparents’ home, in Brandon, also for two years.