A vehicle thief has avoided a prison sentence after a judge said that jail time has done nothing to stop his offending so far.
Scott Hanlon, 21, stole a vehicle from a couple enjoying their first night in their new home before crashing it into a town centre café following a police chase.
Hanlon, of Park View, Liskeard , appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence after previously pleading guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance.
Prosecuting barrister Jason Beal told the court how on May 7 a couple were enjoying their first night in their new house when they were awoken at 2:30am by the sound of people in the house.
They went to investigate and saw two people. Having chased them out they returned inside to find a number of items stolen including the keys to a Renault Clio. On inspection the Clio had also been taken.
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Mr Beal said: “About an hour later at 3:30am the Clio activated an automatic number plate recognition camera in Bodmin.
“Police officers attended the area and found the car parked in Asda. Police officer PC Gould approached and tried to block the car in but the driver sped off.
“PC Gould pursued with his blue lights flashing and the defendant was tracked driving down Launceston Road driving at 60 or 70 miles-per-hour in a built up area.”
Mr Beal added that Hanlon drove the wrong way around a roundabout causing officers to take evasive action before losing control on a corner and ploughing into Chapter Eight Café in Bodmin , causing between £5,000 and £8,000 worth of damage.
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Hanlon then fled on foot and was tasered when found by police in a pub beer garden. He did briefly manage to remove the taser barbs and escape again before being successfully apprehended in a nearby street.
The court heard how Hanlon has spent time in prison before and been convicted of offences including burglary, violence and vehicle theft. In this instance there was insufficient evidence to link him with the burglary.
In mitigation it was heard that Hanlon has a mental age below his years and that he is prone to impulsive behaviour.
Sentencing, Judge Robert Linford said: “He’s served prison sentences and can do them standing on his head. I’ve read his letter and I’m going to give it a go.
“I don’t have any particular confidence what I’m going to try will succeed but it had better succeed.”
Addressing Hanlon he added: “You have had sentence after sentence and they have done nothing to deter you so I’m going to try something else.”
Judge Linford made a 12 month community order consisting of a Thinking Skills programme, a 20 day rehabilitation activity requirement and a six month 6pm to 6am curfew.
Hanlon was also disqualified from driving for two years and Judge Linford warned him that if he fails to comply with any of his orders or finds himself in trouble again he’ll be jailed for 22 months.
Chapter Eight manager Charnie Philp said that Hanlon's antics continue to have an effect on the business because the matter of insurance money hasn't properly been sorted.
She added that a number of plates and other equipment were broken during the collision and that scaffolding remains on the side of the building. She has been told that much of the repair work is due to take place in August, Chapter Eight's busiest month.
