A motorist who repeatedly drove off from petrol stations without paying was finally caught by pure chance when an eagle-eyed police officer suddenly spotted one of the vehicles involved in the brazen thefts.
Serial criminal Jack Towle was not even driving at the time that the Land Rover Discovery, with different registration plates, was unexpectedly seen not far from the Humber Bridge. He was just the passenger – and a woman was driving – but that did not stop the resourceful and observant officer from recognising Towle from tell-tale CCTV images that were circulated of the driver who shamelessly stole the petrol, Hull Crown Court heard.
Towle, 24, of Blyth Court, Barton-upon-Humber, admitted three offences of making off without paying for petrol and three offences of driving while disqualified on March 31, April 6 and April 26 last year. He originally denied the offences and was due to face a trial but he changed his pleas to guilty.
Michael Masson, prosecuting, said that Towle was a banned driver on each of the occasions when he drove off without paying for fuel. On the first occasion, he put £81.01 of petrol in a Audi at Bluestone Service Station in Stallingborough Road, Immingham, before leaving without paying.
On the second occasion, the Audi was filled with £76.28 of fuel at a petrol station at Laceby Lodge, Barton Street, near Grimsby, before leaving. The third offence involved a Land Rover Discovery being filled at the same services with fuel valued at £111.85. The police were alerted. The total value of the thefts was £269.14.
On May 10 last year, police spotted the same Land Rover Discovery at the Wingfield Farm roundabout near the north side of the Humber Bridge. It matched the description given but had different number plates.
It was followed over the Humber Bridge and stopped. The vehicle was being driven by a woman but Towle was in the passenger seat and a police officer recognised him as being the man shown in CCTV pictures from the petrol station.
Inquiries revealed that the Land Rover was registered to the woman but the registration plates did not match its vehicle identification number. “The vehicle had been reported as stolen,” said Mr Masson.
The address given by the woman was searched and registration plates matching the vehicle that had been seen at the petrol station on the third occasion were found. During police interview, Towle made no comment to all questions. He claimed that it was not him shown in CCTV pictures. “That position has been abandoned by his guilty pleas,” said Mr Masson.
Towle had convictions for 58 previous offences, 15 of them theft-related. He was banned from driving for five-and-a-half years at the time of the latest offences, the court heard.
Samantha Laws, mitigating, said that Towle had a significant number of convictions for similar offences. “There are periods of time where the defendant has managed to keep himself out of trouble,” said Miss Laws.
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“His last offending is from 2021. That’s a considerable gap in offending. He has been able to show that he is able to work with the probation service and be managed in the community.”
Towle was working as a docks handler loading ships but this was on an on-and-off basis. He had children, including an eight-month-old child, the court heard.
Recorder Ayesha Smart told Towle: “You accepted your guilt on the day of trial. You have an unenviable record for someone of your age.”
Towle was given a nine-month suspended prison sentence, 150 hours’ unpaid work and 20 days’ rehabilitation. He was banned from driving for four years and five months and he was ordered to pay £269.14 compensation.
“This really is your last chance,” said Recorder Smart. “I really do hope you grow up and stop driving while disqualified.”