How low can you go? Thief Wayne Carr breaks into mum's and steals brother's car

A man who took his brother’s car to sleep in without his permission ended up crashing it into a telegraph pole.

Leeds Crown Court heard Wayne Carr’s mother was moving house last month and the door of her home in Church Street, Honley, was left unlocked while she was going in and out.

Ashleigh Metcalfe, prosecuting, told the court today (Friday) Carr knew he was not to go in there alone following previous incidents but he went inside and helped himself to the keys to his brother’s VW Polo.

The car was subsequently reported missing when his brother realised it had gone but by then it had been involved in a road accident.

Miss Metcalfe said the car was found in Bank Road, Holmfirth, where it had collided with a telegraph pole which had been knocked down and cost around £8,000 to repair.

The air bags in the car had been deployed but no-one was inside and the car was a write-off.

Carr subsequently admitted his responsibility to police and tested positive for cocaine and heroin. He said he had a strained relationship with his brother and felt angry that he was moving with his mother and had taken the keys on the Sunday evening they were moving.

Rachel Smith, representing Carr, said he had been staying with a friend but when that was no longer available he was homeless. He accepted he should have informed police since he was meant to register his address following a previous conviction for sex offences.

However he had not done so and instead decided to sleep in his brother’s car. He had shouted out when he went into the house and when he got no response took the car keys. He then decided to drive it around to warm it up first and unfortunately lost control and crashed.

Carr, 31 previously of Holme Park Court, Berry Brow, admitted burglary, aggravated vehicle taking and failing to comply with registration requirements. He was jailed for a total of 12 months and disqualified from driving for 24 months three weeks.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC told him he had a bad record and there was no alternative to custody but he had in mind the circumstances of the burglary and that the offences were unsophisticated although he had caused considerable damage.