Southampton 16-year-old given eight month sentence for burglary, escaping lawful custody and handling stolen goods

A 16-year-old boy was sentenced to an eight month term in a young offender’s institution following a hearing at Southampton Youth Court yesterday (Monday 7 January).

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to seven offences:

• Taking a vehicle without owner’s consent, the vehicle had been stolen during a burglary at 45 Whites Road, Southampton on June 12.
• Attempting to burgle an address on Orpen Road, Southampton on July 15.
• Burglary at a home on Wilderness Heights, Southampton on July 16.
• Handling stolen goods, which were car keys stolen in a burglary at a home on The Birches, Southampton on August 24.
• Allowing to be carried in a stolen vehicle
• Breaching a conditional discharge
• Escaping lawful custody on Sept 11.

The boy admitted the charge of escaping lawful custody in relation to an incident that happened on Sept 11, 2018 on West End Road when at 3pm, two police officers in an unmarked car stopped a motorcycle that had been reported stolen. The motorcycle had been taken from an address in Fareham two days earlier. The rider, a 20-year-old man from Southampton, and pillion passenger, the boy, were detained by officers and the boy was placed in the back of a police car with the other man. However the man then managed to get control of the police vehicle and drive off, dragging an officer along the road causing him injuries.

The male officer sustained grazes to his arms and knees and attended Southampton General Hospital for treatment.
The unmarked car was recovered a short time later. Officers charged the 20-year-old man from Southampton on Sept 14 in connection with the incident and he was jailed on November 20.

The 16-year-old boy, after evading police custody on Sept 11, was located, arrested and charged on Oct 2.

In addition to this, the boy admitted to attempting to burgle a home on Orpen Road and also burgling a home on Wilderness Heights where a car and motorbike was stolen. The boy also had four other offences taken into consideration, three burglaries and one attempt burglary.

These burglaries were part of a series that occurred over the summer months when the temperature was high. Offenders were gaining entry to properties through insecure doors or leaning in through letterboxes and stealing car keys and vehicles off of driveways. Prevention advice was issued to residents about insecure doors and windows at the time.