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'Latter-day highwaymen' get their comeuppance
Page 14
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FIVE MEMBERS OF a gang of that targeted trucks in lay-bys the Al and A14 in Cambridgeshire have been jailed; five more have received suspended sentences.
The gang, from Leeds and Bradford, struck overnight on 7 June 2005, stealing three mattresses from a truck in an Al 4 layby near Cambridge Crematorium.
That night they also slashed the curtains of a trailer full of Yamaha motorcycles which was parked on the Al, but they did not take any of the bikes. On 27 August 2005 they raided trailers on the A14 at Hemingford Grey but they were caught when they were spotted by a passing police patrol.
At Peterborough Crown Court last week, John Farmer, prosecuting, said: "I see them as latterday highwaymen.
"They would drive by night along major roads and steal from heavy goods vehicles parked overnight. The drivers were often asleep in the cab at the time."
Having pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal, the gang were in court for sentencing.
Judge Nicholas Coleman said: "The overwhelming evidence in this case is that these were not opportunist acts but expeditions to steal. These were acts of villainy by people targeting vulnerable lorries as their drivers slept" Five of the gang, all from Leeds, received prison terms.
Sean Morgan, 39, and Philip Loftus, 27, were jailed for two years. Dean Clark, 27, and Jamie Gallagher, 22, were sentenced to 20 months; Michael McCormack, 28, received 12 months.
Ritzwan Hussein. 27, from Bradford, received a 12-month suspended sentence. Robert Millar, 40, from Leeds, Ghani Akhbar, 29, from Bradford, David Whitely, 27, from Leeds, and Jonathon McCormack, 23, from Leeds, all received 51-week suspended sentences.
The five not jailed were also ordered to complete 240 hours' unpaid work and to comply with a curfew for six months.