Boxes for hair straighteners that had been stolen in a burglary at a salon were also found at his home, a court heard
Mark Cooper, pictured outside Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)
Two drug-taking motorcyclists were part of a ramraid gang that brazenly broke into a Beverley sportswear shop late at night and escaped with a lucrative haul valued at £8,500. The raiders later ran out of luck and two of them were recognised from telltale CCTV pictures and arrested, Hull Crown Court heard.
Mark Cooper, 49, of Alperton Close, east Hull, admitted burglary on June 9. He also admitted theft of a motorcycle on June 4 and two offences of handling stolen goods on June 11.
Tom Doyle, prosecuting, said that Cooper and accomplice Ben Thompson used a motorcycle to “ramraid” and smash the door of the Sports Direct store in Flemingate, Beverley. A haul, including clothes with the Calvin Klein and Boss brands, valued at £8,500, was stolen.
The shop was later boarded up and CCTV pictures were viewed. Cooper and Thompson were seen and they were identified. A motorcycle was found by police in the early hours after a report by a member of the public. It had no registration plate on it.
The Suzuki motorcycle had been stolen from a car park in Butcher Row, Beverley, on June 4. Two men had been seen loitering on nearby streets that morning, trying to get it started. The number plates had been tampered with. The motorcycle was seen at Tesco in Hornsea, being ridden erratically. It had different registration plates on.
“It had been stolen by Cooper,” said Mr Doyle. Cooper was arrested and, after a search at his home, it was found that he had boxes for hair straighteners that had been stolen in a burglary at a hair salon in Market Place, South Cave.
Cooper denied the offences during police interview on June 11. He had convictions for 54 previous offences.
Stephen Robinson, mitigating, said that Cooper previously committed offences because of a drugs problem.
“He was largely able to get a grip of that,” said Mr Robinson. “Largely, he has stayed off drugs.”
Cooper had convictions for possessing heroin. He had been out of trouble between 2013 and 2018 and between 2020 and 2023 but he was jailed in 2024.
“He started taking drugs again and he found himself getting involved in these offences,” said Mr Robinson. “There has been no repetition of dishonesty offending.
“He is trying to get back to what was some previous good behaviour by him. The defendant has resolved to get back to a completely drug-free lifestyle and try to stay out of trouble.
“There is a realisation by him that he is getting too old for this kind of thing.” Cooper was jailed for 14 months.
At an earlier hearing, Thompson, 35, of Endeavour Crescent, east Hull, admitted burglary and driving while disqualified on June 9. He also admitted attempted theft on July 15 and handling stolen goods on July 3.
Thompson was jailed for one year and he was banned from driving for two years.
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