A Bembridge man was so concerned his children were about to be taken away he stole an electric bike from outside a shop in Freshwater, the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court has heard.
43-year-old Richard Wright has been ordered to pay back £1,600 in compensation to the owner of the e-bike, which was stolen on 25th May this year.
The court heard on Tuesday that Wright had been visiting his mother in the West Wight when he got news that his children were being taken into care. In a panic and in an attempt to reach his kids, Wright took the bicycle which was located, unsecured, just outside a fishing tackle shop in the village of Freshwater – despite his children being located in Essex.
A victim impact statement was read out in court by the Crown Prosecution Service, in which the victim said:
“This has had a big impact on me and the rest of the village. We don’t have to worry about this sort of thing here”.
The theft was witnessed by a passerby and captured on CCTV, from which Wright was identified. The 43-year-old, who pleaded guilty to the single charge of theft of a pedal cycle, has previous convictions for burglary in 1998 and robbery in 2005, as well as battery in August of this year.
Defending, Oscar Vincent said his client suffers from mental health issues including anti-social personality disorder and anxiety issues. Mr Vincent said that Richard Wright panicked and foolisly took the bicycle – which was inappropriate to the situation.
The bike is said to have been dumped in an alleyway nearby but has never been recovered.
Unemployed Wright was ordered to pay £1,600 in compensation by Magistrates. He was not ordered to pay any costs or surcharges in order to prioritise the victims compensation.
He stole a bike because, allegedly, his children were being taken into care in Essex? And that’s the best his legal team could come up with?
And, he’s unemployed but he’s been ordered to pay £1600 in compensation? I wonder where he’s going to find the money for that? Another bike? A car this time instead? Drugs? I don’t think the victim should hold their breath waiting for the money to come through.
Spot on, Catherine. A couple of month’s hard labour would have ensured the owner got his bike paid for. The guy is said to have an anti-social behaviour problem, so solitary confinement would have been right up his sleep. Picking oakum for caulkiing?
£1 a week for the next 1600 weeks
Funny enough I smell B/S!!!!
Does the E-bike have enough charge to get to Essex?
Perhaps he was going to steal 10,000 extention leads and plug it in.
Courts should ADD to the fine or rarely the sentence for lying or using the excuse they were drunk, or drugged as all are additional crimes.
What a doting father he is……not.
It appears everyone in court suffers from mental illness. . . . .
Were his kids taken in to care in 1998 and 2005 when he was caught thieving and robbing?? They must be so proud of him and grateful they live in Essex with any one but him
Unemployed Wright was ordered to pay £1,600 in compensation by Magistrates. He was not ordered to pay any costs or surcharges in order to prioritise the victims compensation. ??????
Compensation to a victim of crime is paid first before ALL other financial penalty or costs. What was needed was a serious custodial sentence for this thief. The victim is the big looser in this. What has not been stated is he already paying compensation or just owes? in which case in which case 50% of nothing is nothing. The other looser us the public and the public purse.
He will never pay it
Takes a lot for children to be taking into care. No way he did not know that it was going to happen.