A MAN INVOLVED IN THE THEFT OF LOADED LORRIES FROM

A MAN INVOLVED IN THE THEFT OF LOADED LORRIES FROM TRANSPORT
YARDS IN ESSEX AND EAST LONDON WALKED FREE FROM THE COURT OF APPEAL
TODAY (TUES).

WAYNE WILLIS, 32, OF ORCHIS WAY, HAROLD HILL, HAD PLEADED
GUILTY TO THREE COUNTS OF HANDLING STOLEN GOODS IN WHAT LORD JUSTICE
O’CONNOR DESCRIBED AS A “CAT AND MOUSE SITUATION”.

TWO OF THE COUNTS RELATED TO THE THEFT OF 10 LORRIES FROM THE
YARDS, BETWEEN AUGUST 1984 AND APRIL LAST YEAR, INVOLVING #483 000
WORTH OF GOODS.

JUSTICE O’CONNOR SAID WILLIS WAS SENTENCED TO NINE MONTHS JAIL
ON ONE COUNT LAST AUGUST, AND HAVING BEEN IN CUSTODY, WAS RELEASED ON
BAIL IN NOVEMBER, AWAITING TRIAL ON THE OTHER OFFENCES.

SHORTLY AFTER, HE WAS BACK IN CUSTODY ON THE TWO OTHER CHARGES
AND PLEADED GUILTY AT HIS TRIAL IN FEBRUARY.

HE WAS SENTENCED IN MARCH
TO 15 MONTHS JAIL.

JUSTICE O’CONNOR SAID WILLIS HAD A LONG CRIMINAL RECORD FOR
THEFT AND DISHONESTY.

“THE TRIAL JUDGE DESCRIBED HIM AS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF A CROOK
WITH A NUMBER OF PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS WHO CANNOT KEEP HIS DISHONEST
HANDS FROM STOLEN PROPERTY,” THE JUDGE SAID.

“BUT IT HAS BEEN A CAT AND MOUSE SITUATION.

HE WAS IN CUSTODY
DURING THE SUMMER OF 1985, WAS RELEASED ON BAIL, THEN BACK IN CUSTODY,
AND THEN SENTENCED AGAIN.

”
THE APPEAL AGAINST SENTENCE WAS SUCCESSFUL AND WILLIS WAS
RELEASED.

AN APPEAL AGAINST SENTENCE FOR THE MAN HIRED AS THE DRIVER OF
THE STOLEN LORRIES, HOWEVER, WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.

ALAN MACKENZIE, 47, OF BRUNEL AVENUE, WELLING, WAS CONVICTED
IN FEBRUARY ON THREE COUNTS OF THEFT AND WAS SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS
JAIL.

THE COURT WAS TOLD THAT MACKENZIE “FELL INTO” THE CRIME
BECAUSE OF A #10,000 DEBT.

OF THE #483 000 WORTH OF GOODS STOLEN, ONLY #123 000 WORTH WAS
RECOVERED.

JUSTICE O’CONNOR SAID THE SENTENCE WAS CONSIDERED “JUST AND
FAIR”.

THE APPEAL WAS DISMISSED.

ENDS.

*