Man jailed for theft of lorry and steel

A 26-year-old man who stole a lorry and its cargo of steel said to be worth £38,000 from a Shrewsbury business was jailed today for 18 months.Mark Harrison was described by Judge Robin Onions as a "patsy" in a gang which took the lorry from Christmas Stockholders Ltd in Harlescott, on March 31.

The father-of-one, of Grenadier Street, Willenhall, had previously admitted stealing the Volvo flatbed lorry and 13 tonnes of steel.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court today he also admitted being in breach of a suspended prison sentence.

Judge Onions said: "He is the patsy isn't he? I have to treat this as professional organised dishonesty."

Mr Mark Linkins, prosecuting, said that on the night of the theft a driver sleeping in his lorry heard an engine being revved. He then noticed three men jumping up and down on the access gate to the compound trying to get into the premises.

Mr Linkins said the gang then managed to force open the gate and made off in the lorry laden with steel and police were called.

The court heard Harrison was later stopped alone in the vehicle on the A41 and arrested.

Judge Onions said Harrison had 18 previous convictions for 37 offences including burglary and theft.

He imposed an 18-month sentence for the theft and activated the four-month suspended sentence to be served concurrently.

Miss Siobhan Collins, for Harrison, said her client had a long-term addiction to drugs including crack cocaine.

She said he had spent several months on remand in prison and had sought help for his problems.