A young tearaway was part of a brazen group who “rammed” and smashed their way into a Beverley sportswear shop in the early hours of the morning. However, he was later caught after police recognised him from a distinctive tattoo seen on telltale CCTV pictures.
The raiders escaped with a huge haul of clothes, including Calvin Klein, valued at more than £8,600 and they used a large white sheet to put the stolen items into before fleeing from the scene on motorcycles, Hull Crown Court heard. Bobby Hoyle, 20, of Goldcrest Close, off Kestrel Avenue, Bransholme, admitted an offence of burglary on June 9.
Katy Welford, prosecuting, said that, at about 4am, security staff alerted police to an ongoing burglary at the Sports Direct shop, in Flemingate, involving three people on two motorcycles. The door of the shop was “rammed”, causing it to break.
All three intruders repeatedly went in and out of the store and used a sheet to fill up with stolen clothes. They were valued at £8,698.
One of the motorcycles was later found abandoned in a car park in the Beverley area. It had no registration mark on it. Clothes with security tags on were hanging from the back of the motorcycle.
CCTV pictures were later seen and Hoyle was recognised from a distinctive tattoo. He was a passenger on one of the motorcycles.
Hoyle was arrested on June 19. He made no comment to questions during police interview. He had convictions for 11 previous offences but none for dishonesty and he had been recalled to custody after breaching his licence.
Ian Phillip, mitigating, said that Hoyle’s previous convictions did him no credit but the burglary offence was completely dissimilar. “Nobody else has yet appeared before court for the burglary,” said Mr Phillip. Hoyle was part of a group but there was no significant planning by them.
“Continuing to receive custodial sentences is not going to help him or his family and he has realised that this is not a life that he wants to live,” said Mr Phillip.
Recorder Collingwood Thompson KC told Hoyle: “It’s a serious offence of burglary because it involves property worth over £8,000. There must have been significant organisation involved in that offence.
“Two motorbikes were being used to carry away items. It’s a group offence. You were subject to licence at the time. The way you have been living your life demonstrates a degree of immaturity.
“I hope you have realised there is no future if you continue like this because the sentences are only going to get longer and longer.”
Hoyle, who was already in custody on remand, was sent to a young offenders’ institution for one year.
At a hearing in January 2023, the court heard that Hoyle used a “horrific form of violence” by sadistically strangling his ex-girlfriend during a prolonged and “utterly degrading” campaign of intimidation and revenge against her.
She was left fearing that she would die but Hoyle also spat at her, hurled a bucket of dirty water at her and even set off exploding firecrackers near her during the “terrible” and “appalling” catalogue of harassment. He menacingly warned her “If I can’t have you, no one can” during one frightening confrontation.
At the 2023 hearing, Hoyle admitted putting the woman in fear of violence by harassment between August 22 and September 26, 2022 and he was given a two-year suspended custodial sentence, 80 hours’ unpaid work, 31 days of a Building Better Relationships programme and 10 days’ rehabilitation.