Hucknall man denies handling stolen goods

It is alleged that stolen cars were traced to the home of Paul Stirland (42) after parts were advertised on eBay.

Paul Stirland (42), of Farleys Lane, faces three charges of handling stolen goods between Saturday 16th March and Friday 28th June last year.

The charges denied by Stirland are dishonestly undertaking or assisting in the retention, removal, disposal or realisation of stolen goods, namely the three cars, by or for the benefit of another, or dishonestly arranging so to do, knowing or believing them to be stolen goods.

The magistrates agreed for the case to be transferred to the Crown Court because the sentencing powers of the magistrates’ court might not be sufficient if there was a conviction.

He was granted unconditional bail to appear at Nottingham Crown Court on 17th June.

He pleads not guilty to all three and is to face trial at Nottingham Crown Court.

The police trail that led to Stirland began when the home of Vincent Higgins was burgled last summer, Neil Fawcett (prosecuting) told Nottingham Magistrates’ Court this week.

“Mr Higgins’s Mitsubishi Lancer car, worth £8,000, was stolen,” said Mr Fawcett. “But later, he identified parts of it being advertised on eBay.

“Subsequent inquiries by the police led them to Farleys Lane and Mr Stirland.

“Parts were recovered from his address and when a digital camera was found too, photos on it suggested that the entire vehicle had been at that address.”

Mr Fawcett added that further checks at Stirland’s home found parts belonging to two other stolen cars -- a BMW, worth £20,000, owned by Glen Radford, and a Vauxhall Astra, worth £3,500, owned by Daniel Spedding.

The BMW had been stolen in a burglary at Breaston in Derbyshire last April, while the Vauxhall Astra had been stolen after it broke down when running out of petrol and Mr Spedding left it.

“The parts were broken down and offered for sale through advertisements,” he added. “There was high potential for profit.”