Teenage burglary gang stole and crashed car
BBCA gang of teenagers broke into a house and stole £25,000 worth of goods, including a car which they crashed in a high speed pursuit while fleeing police, a court has heard.
The six youths were aged between 14 and 18 when a home in Guisborough was "ransacked" in May 2022, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Dylan Jeff, who was 16, drove the Mercedes A Class, reaching 85mph on 40mph roads, driving the wrong way down the road and around roundabouts before crashing into a church wall.
The youths admitted offences including burglary and aggravated vehicle taking and received community orders.
The gang, who all lived in the Guisborough and Redcar area, entered a house on Whinchat Tail while the occupants were out at about 01:00 BST on 2 May 2022, prosecutor Ian West said.
The family returned about 15 minutes later and found doors open, with rooms "ransacked" and personal possessions worth about £12,000 stolen.
The burglars had also taken the £13,500 Mercedes, which was spotted by police being driven along the A1085 in east Middlesbrough a short while later, Mr West said.
Officers began a pursuit and the car drove off at speed, running through a red light at 73mph and crossing footpaths before crashing into a church wall in Eston, the court heard.
Several occupants attempted to flee on foot but most were caught by police, Mr West said.
A 17-year-old, who was 14 at the time and cannot be named due to his age, went on to commit another burglary, breaking into a house and taking a car while armed with a machete last June, the court heard.
Jeff also went on to commit other offences including burglary and aggravated vehicle taking, Mr West said.
The four defendants who can be named, and who each got a 12-month community order with rehabilitation activity requirements, were:
- Jason Buttery, of Tennyson Avenue, Grangetown, who was 17 at the time and is now 20
- Jack Collinson, of Wilton Lane, Guisborough, who was 15 at the time and is now 18
- Dylan Jeff, of no fixed abode but has links to Eston, who was 16 at the time and is now 19
- Alfie Standing, of Venables Road, Guisborough, who was 18 at the time and is now 20
'Inordinate delay'
Another boy was previously given a referral order by a youth court after admitting his involvement in the Guisborough burglary.
The 17-year-old, who is currently in detention for his other offences, was detained for six months as his current incarcerated state meant he could not have a community order.
Judge Richard Clews criticised the "inordinate" and "unexplained" delay the almost three-year-old case had taken to be resolved.
He said all but Standing were under 18 at the time and should have been dealt with by a youth court, adding had that happened it "would have been concluded far more swiftly".
Judge Clews said he would "concentrate on rehabilitation" as punishing the youths so long after the crime was committed "would be closing the stable door long after the horse has been".
But he warned the youths they could "expect" to be jailed if they committed further crimes.
Each youth was also banned from driving for a year, while Jeff, whose driving the judge called "frankly appalling", was disqualified for 18 months.