Caravan thief caught red handed in Mansfield finally sentenced six years later
A man who helped steal a caravan as a favour has finally been sentenced six years after he was caught red handed in Mansfield, magistrates have heard.
Police began chasing a blue transit van that was towing a caravan just after midnight on March 12, 2020, the court was told.
After he was stopped on King's Mill Way, driver John McDonagh told officers he'd bought it for £4,000 but was unable to provide a receipt, keys or contact information about the seller.
The real owner raised the alarm after discovering the theft and said the thieves had broken the window of a yellow Mazda, at a cost of £487, so it could be wheeled out of the way when the £6,000 caravan was stolen.
Mark Stocks, mitigating, said the theft had been carried out by two other men and McDonagh had "limited involvement" and drove it away "as a favour."
He said a warrant was issued after the defendant failed to attend court in 2020, and he was finally arrested last December.
Mr Stocks said the dad-of-three is of previous good character, has kept out of trouble since, and deserved credit for his guilty plea
McDonagh, aged 28, formerly of Sycamore Avenue, Somerton, Newport, and now of Salisbury Road, Northampton, admitted theft and criminal damage when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Thursday,
His co-defendants were ordered to pay £230 in compensation so he was told to pay the same amount, but no costs were awarded.
He received a 12 month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work.