A prolific burglar and vehicle thief who was inside a stolen motorhome which rammed a patrol vehicle during a pursuit involving a helicopter and dogs has been jailed.
Patrick Young, 33, of Carlisle, was sentenced at the city’s crown court today for a spate of offending which occurred mainly in the north Cumbria and Keswick areas over more than three-and-a-half years.
Assisted by partners in crime, Young targeted farms, a National Trust property and a plush estate — all in the Keswick area — with keys and several £10,000-plus Land Rovers stolen in night-time raids.
He was also a key figure as a family-run Carlisle business was burgled with several vans stolen.
Clues about the motive behind Young’s offending emerged hours after the first crime, in February 2018, when he was arrested getting off a train at Carlisle from Durham with a one-way ticket.
“The North East seems to be the area where Young rushes the cars across to be sold relatively speedily,” said prosecutor Tim Evans.
Young was sentenced today — along with accomplices James Benson, 45, and 31-year-old Scott Walpole — after police gathered a wealth of evidence.
This included CCTV footage, eyewitness accounts, mobile phone cell site data, and damning photos and messages recovered from devices.
Most recently, in October last year, Young and another Carlisle man, 20-year-old Rhys Wilkinson, stole the £35,000 motorhome from Portinscale, near Keswick.
Police spotted and tried to stop the vehicle, being driven by Wilkinson, in County Durham. “The motorhome reversed and deliberately rammed the police vehicle, no doubt attempting to disable it,” said Mr Evans.
A helicopter crew assisted officers during the pursuit, tracker dogs were brought in and the pair were arrested.
Heavily convicted Young, of Firlands, Carlisle, admitted four burglaries and five thefts, and was jailed for 45 months by Judge Simon Medland QC.
Walpole, of Curzon Street, Maryport, was jailed for 21 months having admitted theft and two breaches of a serious crime prevention order.
Wilkinson, of Coalfell Avenue, Carlisle, admitted theft and dangerous driving, and was jailed for 18 months.
Benson, also of Firlands, admitted one burglary and a theft. His 21-month jail term was suspended, and he must complete 150 hours’ unpaid work.
“The principle element which features across these offences is that of crime in the countryside,” said Judge Medland, who described rural areas being “vulnerable to predation”.
