Co Armagh man stole Range Rover and crashed it 'causing extensive damage', Craigavon court hears

The 30-year-old former plumber appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Wednesday (June 3).

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Jordan Daniel Reynolds, aged 30, from Merrion Drive, Lurgan, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking causing damage and using a vehicle without insurance.

At around 3am on January 19 this year, a Range Rover Sport was found at Lake Road, Craigavon, parked in the nearside lane with ‘extensive damage’ along the nearside. The vehicle was locked and the hazard lights were flashing.

Police spoke to the last registered owner and the injured party who said the vehicle had been stolen by the defendant earlier that morning.

"The injured party said the defendant called at his house at half past midnight. After falling asleep he received a phone call from the defendant in which he stated he had taken the keys, stolen the vehicle and crashed it,” said the Prosecutor, adding the defendant attended Lurgan Police Station on January 25 and made full admissions.

He told police he lifted the keys from the kitchen adding "I’m really sorry about that”. He explained he was going to see his mum who lived only “a couple of roundabouts away”.

"I wasn’t thinking straight. I’ve been struggling with my mental health. I saw the keys and as he was lying sleeping I just lifted the keys to go over and see my mum but I never made it,” he told police.

Reynolds’ barrister Mr David McKeown said his client was a man with a “strong work ethic” as a plumber until the Covid 19 pandemic started.

"He couldn’t go to people’s houses so he lost that work and that started a downward trend in his mental health,” he said.

"He has tried to get back on his feet but so far hasn’t been able to,” said the barrister, adding his client is working part time and is hoping to use that as a stepping stone to return to plumbing.

Mr McKeown said his client accepts he stole the car in order to see his mother who helps him when he struggles with his mental health.

He said Reynolds made full admissions and rang the car owner from the scene admitting what he had done. He added that his father has taken out a loan to repay the car owner for the damage caused and his client is repaying his father £150 a month.

The barrister explained that at the time of this offence Reynolds was in breach of a suspended sentence.

“He is hoping to get back into plumbing and that would keep him out of trouble,” he said.

District Judge Michael Ranaghan said Reynolds has a "poor record for driving matters as well so the custody threshold is crossed”.

He pointed to his early admissions and steps to recompense the car owner adding he would not invoke the suspended sentence.

He sentenced Reynolds to four months in jail for both offences suspended for 12 months. For the aggravated vehicle taking he was banned from driving for 18 months and for no insurance he received a 12 months driving ban, both concurrent and £150 fines for each offence plus £15 Offender Levy.