Tyersal man driving stolen van with trailer caught by officers on A1

Patrol car officers spotted the Ford Transit, its trailer and digger, heading south on the A1, in North Yorkshire, at 10.30pm on February 8. All were taken in the Coundon area, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, the previous night.

Liam O’Brien, prosecuting, told Durham Crown Court: “They tried to bring it to a stop, activating the siren, but the van’s speed increased to 70-miles per hour on a stretch limited to 50, due to roadworks, with the trailer seen “snaking” from side to side.”

When the van turned off at a slip road, it came to a halt after being blocked by police.

Driver Tarandeep Takhar was arrested and claimed he did not know the vehicle or trailer were stolen, but he tried to speed away because he had no insurance.

Takhar, 28, of Tyrsesal Avenue, Tyresal, Bradford, admitted two counts of handling stolen goods, dangerous driving, plus no insurance and driving other than in accordance with the licence.

The court heard he was on licence following his release from a long prison sentence, his only previous conviction, for conspiracy to supply cocaine, in 2012.

Mr O’Brien said: “This is not handling where someone is going round pubs trying to off-load shoplifted items.

“These were high-valued goods, with the digger, alone, worth £14,000.”

David McCormick, mitigating, said: “His explanation was that he was approached at an event in West Yorkshire by a man from the travelling community he knows only as, ‘John’, who asked him to travel to the North-East to bring items back.”

Mr McCormick said Takhar was given the keys in County Durham and told to drive to an address in West Yorkshire.

The court heard he has been in custody since admitting dangerous driving at a previous hearing.

Imposing a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, Recorder Neil Barker ordered Takhar to perform 160 hours’ unpaid work, and pay £300 costs plus a £140 court surcharge.

The defendant was also banned from driving for 18 months.