South Yorkshire metal thief led cops on high speed chase

Richard Bentley was on bail for theft when he accelerated away from officers at the junction of Park Road and Sheffield Road, in Barnsley, at 9.30am, on Saturday January 25.

He drove his green Citroen Berlingo through red traffic lights and across the junction while other vehicles were crossing, said prosecutor Robert Sandford.

He reached speeds of 70mph on Cemetery Road before driving through more red lights on the junction with Doncaster Road and turning into the "densely populated" Heathfields housing estate, where he narrowly missed a dog walker and parked cars.

He was apprehended with a small amount of cannabis while trying to escape by climbing over a fence, Mr Sandford added.

Sheffield Crown Court heard he drove a white van when he, and two others, stole an estimated £500 of scrap metal from a backyard, on December 21, last year.

The copper and aluminium was weighed in for £90, but Bentley was traced following an appeal on Facebook.

He received a community order for a domestic matter on December 11, and Mr Sandford said he had completed none of the unpaid work and instead provided sick notes.

Chris Aspinall, mitigating, said "this is not a gold bullion robbery" and said there "was little or no premeditation."

He said the driving offences crossed the custody threshold but were "fairly short-lived."

He said the dad-of two lives with his parents and his children and "has not got the wherewithal to cope particularly well."

"Generally speaking he tries to find scrap metal lying around in the street and tries to make some money doing that.

He said Bentley had stayed out of trouble for six months.

Bentley, 39, of Orchard Street, Wombwell, Barnsley, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis, theft and dangerous driving.

Judge Graham Reeds QC jailed him for 12 months and banned him from driving for a year.

When Bentley protested, the judge told him: "No point getting chippy with me. Settle down and get away from your cannabis. Do better next time."

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