Crook man on cocaine attempted to steal mini digger

Durham Crown Court was told that the Volvo digger was left locked and secure behind fencing at a Shell garage in Easington overnight on July 18 this year.

Cole Cockburn, prosecuting, said it was discovered to be missing the following morning.

A cctv check revealed a Land Rover Discovery, which it emerged was driven by defendant Jason Hanley, pulled onto the forecourt towing an empty trailer, just before midnight.

The digger, by then loaded onto the trailer, and the Land Rover were spotted by police in the early hours of July 19.

(Image: Durham Constabulary) Mr Cockburn said due to the manner of driving and the suspicious time of night, it was pursued by police.

The lights and siren of the police vehicle were activated but Hanley failed to stop.

He went on to the A690, flouting a red light where there were roadworks and then travelled in excess of 60-miles per hour, despite towing the trailer, and continued to refuse to stop.

Hanley overtook other vehicles and drove in the opposite carriageway, before slowing and turning off the A690, heading in the direction of Pittington, with the mini digger and trailer swaying from side-to-side causing a fear it would topple over.

Approaching Low Pittington, the driver’s door was opened and Hanley fled on foot, leaving the Land Rover to go on to crash into the front garden fence of a local resident.

Mr Cockburn said following a short foot pursuit Hanley was apprehended and he admitted taking the digger.

The Land Rover was found to be bearing false plates and Hanley, who had a balaclava and gloves with him, was not insured to drive.

Although a roadside drug wipe gave a positive indication that there was cocaine in his system, the defendant refused to give a blood sample at the police station, citing a dislike of needles.

He told police that when he bought the Land Rover it was already bearing the false plates.

The householder stated that the damage to his front fence, wall and gate amounted to about £1,000 to repair.

Hanley, 31, of no fixed address, but formerly of Crook, admitted dangerous driving, theft, going equipped for theft, failing to provide a blood specimen and a separate offence of making off without payment for fuel, committed in December last year.

(Image: Durham Constabulary) He was said to have 11 convictions for 14 offences, many for theft, but with nothing similar since 2010, although he has an excess alcohol conviction from 2016 for which he was fined.

Mr Cockburn said there must have been some planning behind the offence.

Charlie Thompson, in mitigation, said the defendant has spent 60 days on curfew and a month in custody since the offence.

“The Jason Hanley now is very different to the Jason Hanley who committed this offence.

“He has had his first taste of custody having only ever previously been before magistrates’ and youth courts.

“He has been out of trouble since about 2015/16, when he was convicted for drink driving.”

Mr Thompson said following personal tragedies Hanley responded by abusing drink and drugs.

On the day of the incident, he had a few cans of beer and consumed cocaine, which Mr Thompson said was, “typical for him at that time.”

Mr Thompson said the defendant only realised the Land Rover was carrying false plates after he bought it, and that he had a balaclava and gloves on him as he rides a motorcycle.

Referring to the dangerous driving, Mr Thompson said the defendant “panicked” realising he was likely to be caught and chose to engage in a police pursuit.

“He described his first taste of prison as ‘torture’ and he has struggled with his mental health.”

Mr Thompson said if the defendant was to be spared an immediate prison sentence, he has a job doing guttering for a plumbing company to go into, while a friend in Darlington would provide him with accommodation.

He added that the defendant has made efforts to deal with his misuse of drugs and his mental health.

Judge Nathan Adams said he accepted that in the background the defendant had fallen into, “a spiral of drink and class A drug-taking” and saw this opportunity to continue down that path.

“It was clearly the planned theft of equipment which you thought would get you some money.

“You were spotted, however, and you should have pulled over.

“But you took off at high-speed, notwithstanding the fact you were towing that trailer carrying the mini digger.

“Ultimately, you jumped out while it was still moving, and it crashed into the fence of a private property.

“There was a significant risk of danger to the police and to the public.

“It’s likely you still had cocaine in your system which was suggested by the roadside wipe and you then refused to provide the blood sample.

“This was a serious chain of events over a short period of time.

“I accept the damage was at the lower end of the scale, but it was aggravated by the cocaine in your system.”

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Imposing a 12-month prison sentence, Judge Adams said the planned theft of a high-value vehicle, followed by a dangerous police chase was too serious to be suspended.

The judge also banned Hanley from driving for three-and-a-half years.

He said the defendant will only be permitted to legally drive again after passing an extended re-test when the ban expires.