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Theft sentences cut

5th December 2002
Page 11
Page 11, 5th December 2002 — Theft sentences cut
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

• Three members of a gang of truck thieves which made off with more than £1m worth of vehicles and goods have had their sentences reduced by the Court of Appeal.

Andrew Parkes and Jason Cresswell were each jailed for five years for their part in the operation, described by the trial judge at Worcester Crown Court in November 2001as "a highly sophisticated and highly commercial conspiracy.. almost like an army operation*.

At the same time farmer Tony Webley was jailed for three years for charges ranging from conspiracy to steal, to handling stolen goods worth more than £360,000.

However, Mr Justice Gibbs, sitting at London's Court of Appeal, has ruled that the sentences of all three were "manifestly excessive'. Webley's sentence was reduced to two years and Cresswell and Parkes had theirs Cut to four years.

Gibbs said that although those involved in large-scale conspiracies should expect to receive tough sentences, the jail terms of all three were too long when their guilty pleas were taken into account.

Jugnit Singh Sunar had his two-year jail term for handling stolen goods halved to a year.

However, one campaigner against truck theft has criticised the decision. He says: "This is just typical of the situation where minor motoring offences carry more weight in the law than truck theft. I wouldn't describe the sentences as excessive, given the sums involved.°


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