A man who was under the influence of drugs while stealing cars worth £90,000 was apprehended due to his choice of Fred Perry trainers, as revealed during his court case.
Brian Davis was sentenced to 15 months in prison for the burglary of Sinclair car dealership in Neyland, as reported by Wales Online. Davis, along with an accomplice, stole a Mercedes CLA, a Volkswagen Tiguan, an Audi Q3, and an Audi A1 during the raid on the showroom.
The Swansea Crown Court heard that Davis, aged 53, was arrested 16 months after the burglary when he turned himself in at a local police station. Despite claiming to have no memory of the break-in or driving the stolen cars due to the drugs he had consumed, forensic evidence linked him to the crime scene.
The prosecution revealed that Davis and his accomplice broke into the car dealership using a crowbar to access the keys, before driving off with the vehicles. While three cars were recovered the next day, the Mercedes CLA, valued at £12,382, was only found in January the following year.
The court was informed that Davis had a history of convictions, including burglary and robbery, dating back to 1994. His defence lawyer stated that the defendant had struggled with heroin addiction in the past and had sought rehabilitation in Glasgow before surrendering to the authorities upon his return to Wales.
Despite his efforts to address his drug issues, Judge Paul Thomas KC expressed doubts about Davis’s prospects of rehabilitation and handed down a 15-month prison sentence for the three counts of burglary. With a one-quarter discount for his guilty plea, Davis was to serve half the term behind bars before being released on licence.
Davis’s defence emphasised his desire to move on from his recent criminal behaviour and reunite with his family, noting that he had remained out of trouble for two decades before his relapse. The judge, however, highlighted the seriousness of the offence and the danger posed by driving under the influence, leading to the custodial sentence.
The case serves as a reminder of the consequences of drug-related crimes and the importance of seeking help for addiction issues. Davis’s journey from burglary to imprisonment underscores the challenges individuals face in breaking free from substance abuse and rebuilding their lives.