Redditch man stripped stolen Land Rovers and cars worth more than £160,000 for parts - The Redditch Standard

Redditch man stripped stolen Land Rovers and cars worth more than £160,000 for parts

Redditch Editorial 30th Nov, 2017   0

A REDDITCH man who stripped stolen Land Rovers and cars worth a total of more than £160,000 for their parts is to have almost £40,000 in assets confiscated from him.

Earlier this year mechanic Ian Turner had pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to converting criminal property in relation to stolen Land Rovers and other vehicles.

Turner, 50, of Jubilee Avenue, Walkwood, was sentenced in July to two years in prison suspended for two years, with rehabilitation activity for 15 days.

But the judge adjourned a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act for an investigation to be carried out into Turner’s finances.




And at the resumed hearing, prosecutor Ian Speed said it was agreed Turner’s total benefit from his involvement had been £168,000 which included the £162,000 value of the stolen vehicles.

It was found he had assets of £39,323, including a £33,000 share in the equity of his home, his own Land Rover Defender, and a number plate.


So Judge Andrew Lockhart QC made a confiscation order for £39,323 under the Proceeds of Crime Act, giving Turner three months to pay the money or face eight months in prison in default – after which he would still owe the money.

During the original hearing Mr Speed had said: “This case concerns the defendant taking possession of numerous stolen vehicles and breaking them up into sellable parts.

“The evidence shows at the premises he rented there is clear identification of parts from 15 Land Rovers, a Range Rover Evoque, and Audi RS4, a Ford Fiesta and a motorcycle.”

Turner’s illegal business came to light because a Land Rover Discovery stolen from Birmingham last year was fitted with a tracker device.

That enabled the police to trace it to Claverdon Hall Farm, Claverdon, where they found Turner, who rented one of the outbuildings.

When interviewed Turner admitted he was buying vehicles, knowing they were stolen, from members of the ‘travelling community.’

He later admitted he was working for them and had felt under pressure to break up ones they brought to the farm.

Jonathan Coode, defending, said: “There was a considerable amount of coercion, and the defendant was on one occasion assaulted. His wife advised him to give up the enterprise and move away from the farm, but they kept coming.”

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