A ‘professional handler of stolen goods’ has been warned that prison is ‘almost inevitable’ after he admitted his involvement with property worth more than £60,000.
Jason Holdsworth (30) of Station Lane, Lapworth, pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to a total of 13 charges of handling stolen goods.
The charges relate that on various dates between January 2008 and April 2018 he ‘undertook or assisted in the retention, removal, disposal or realisation’ of the stolen items.
They included five trailers, four horse trailers, three boats, a quad bike and a digger.
And prosecutor Lee Marklew said: “The total value is at least £62,500. He is a professional handler of stolen goods.”
Anthony Bell, defending, asked for the case to be adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on Holdsworth.
Judge Andrew Lockhart QC agreed, but commented: “He will understand that for this level of offending, custody is the first port of call for the court.”
And adjourning the case and granting Holdsworth bail, Judge Lockhart told him: “You will get the appropriate level of credit for your guilty pleas.
“But I am telling you now, it seems to me that custody is almost inevitable.”
