18-year-old with more than 80 convictions is locked up
A TEENAGER with more than 80 offences on his record has been sentenced to 18 months youth custody for his part in taking a taxi, which was driven along tram tracks.
A tram was forced to stop as the Skoda came towards it at David Lane tram crossing, Old Basford. Passengers had to make their own way home.
Ben Wilson, 18, who was a passenger in the Skoda, was arrested and charged with aggravated vehicle-taking.
He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday to 18 months in youth custody and disqualified from driving for two years.
Recorder Stuart Rafferty QC said the fact Wilson was the passenger and not the driver when the tram was forced to stop on June 6 was irrelevant as far as the law is concerned.
He said: "People could have died. Cars had to take evasive action. Trams had to take evasive action."
Wilson has 22 convictions for 83 offences, 43 of those happened when he was on bail, and on five occasions he had been involved in an aggravated vehicle taking-offence.
"You are 18 and your record is appalling," said the judge. "To some extent that might not be your fault because you have got problems, you had problems, I expect you will always have problems.
"But because of that you are a danger to the public.
"How it is you haven't killed yourself or someone else yet behind the wheel of a car I really don't know. I suspect, tragically, it is only a matter of time."
Wilson, of Mansfield Road, Sherwood, was released from his last sentence two days before he was involved in this offence.
The Skoda had been taken in Stapleford from a taxi driver by a man claiming to be his fare.
The car was next seen in Church Street, at the junction to Western Boulevard, Basford, by police.
Officers were behind the car when it sped away, turning onto Nottingham Road and then to Vernon Road, where the driver went on the wrong side. No one else was arrested at the scene.
The court was told in mitigation that Wilson, who pleaded guilty, had "no appreciation of the wider consequences of his actions". He had been pleading with his friend to stop the car.
Recorder Rafferty finally told Wilson: "I would like to hope that when you come out you might be ready to change, but I'm afraid that might be whistling in the dark."
19 Comments
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by Hooplah, Notts
Thursday, July 29 2010, 9:37AM
“Well I'm always amused by the view that these scutters should be given a dose of National Service in the hope of making fine upstanding citizens of them....Get real, we live in a different age, and I am sure the army would not thank you for being forced to take these morons under their wing, don't you think they have enough problems to deal with at the moment?
Throw the scutters behind bars!”
by Anthony O Wilkinson, Ruddington
Thursday, July 29 2010, 8:50AM
“These guys laugh at the Law and they are certainly laughing at us the law-abiding taxpayer.
We are caged food parcels for these animals in every sense and our children will be the next generation of victims.”
by Pauline, At Home in Derbyshire
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 10:34PM
“We need a Bad Lads Army Regime, someone in charge with a loud enough voice to make such young offenders quake in their boots, to discipline them and show them the error of their ways and hopefully put them on the right track to being a law abiding citizen. 83 offences is appauling.”
by Bulgaria, Wombles
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 10:20PM
“U mean he's not getting an ASBO..O yeah..thx to the Coalition its been removed and he might face jail?”
by Attila the Bun, Fun in the Bun
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 6:26PM
“Arthur
You enjoy having a pop at other peoples opinions don't you... without offering up any solutions yourself. You sound like a right wet, liberal, pontificating gobsmithe.
Tell you what.. when Mr Wilson exits the prison gate in 6 months time to do it all over again... we'll send him round your neighbourhood.”
by arthur, Not the City
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 4:34PM
“Quite apparently the kid is a waste of space.
The typical bluster about sending him to Afghanistan is pathetic. If I was on a front line, this is last person I'd want watching my back. Your comments are an insult to the armed forces.
As for insulting the armed forces, Ex-service man? Obviously what no-one ever "learned" you was the correct use of the English language. And your rosey eyed nonsense of tin baths and doors being left open is irrelevant. If you'd had a 36 inch plasma screen TV back then, you wouldn't have left your door open.
As for dredging up the nuLiebor b-s, Nottingham's favourite son, cigar smoking scotch sipping millionaire Ken C. is pretty keen on keeping prisoner numbers low.”
by Ann, Bilborough
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 3:59PM
“Send this no hoper to the front line in Afghanistan and let him walk the road that our brave soldier's walk and die upon . And just then should he return home he might come back a decent human being .”
by Question Mark, Puzzled
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 3:51PM
“If he is 18, why was he sentenced in a "youth custody"? At what age do you become an adult?”
by daleabb, Nottingham
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 3:36PM
“Bring back the birch,!!
If this lad had been given the birch after his first offence.
I am sure he would not have gone back for more,
While "call me dave" is poncing about saying sorry to all and sundry he should be and organising a referendum on.
1 the E.U,...................IN OR OUT
2 capital punishment .....YES OR NO
3 bring back the birch.....YES OR NO
4 immigration........WE ARE FULL
5 bring back the cane/slipper into schools, ...................YES OR NO
Well I surpose I can but dream”
by k, here
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 2:48PM
“80 convictions !!!!! whats the CPS doing .......Obviously nothing...... It should be compulsary to send all these good for nothing pond life for NATIONAL SERVICE ...... so they can learn some respect for others .....”