‘Dedicated’ quad bike thief jailed for 20 months
A Hull thief who specialised in stealing high-value quad bikes in rural East Yorkshire has been jailed for 20 months.
Benjamin Barnes, 26, had already stolen two quad bikes and was transporting a 4×4 quad in the back of his transit van when he was caught by police last October.
Crown barrister Ms Jharna Jobes told Hull Crown Court on 8 March that Mr Barnes’ crime spree started in Howden last summer when he stole a high-value Nissan in July and then took a 4×4 quad bike from an outbuilding in Thirtleby, near Burton Constable.
Mr Barnes, of Council Avenue, Hull, then stole a Land Rover Defender at Elloughton in August before he was finally apprehended when another quad bike – stolen from Kilham – was found in the back of his van.
Jailing Mr Barnes at Hull Crown Court, Judge Michael Mettyear said: “You have a bad record of offending that goes back a long way. A pre-sentence report describes you as a person with a complete lack of remorse and no understanding of your victims. The chances of you re-offending are high and you have pro-criminal views.
“You are at the moment dedicated to criminality.”
Ms Jobes said Mr Barnes asked for three other thefts of motor vehicles to be taken into consideration, including that of a £14,000 tractor at North Cave on 1 June.
Visit our rural crime page