AN ISLE of WIGHT joyrider with a staggering 18 offences, including aggravated vehicle taking and burglary, who caused more than £60,000 worth of damage has been spared jail.  

Roobin Jones, of no fixed abode, appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court today (Thursday).

At a previous hearing in March, the 19-year-old admitted three counts of burglary, in Newport, Cowes and Ryde, between November 10 and November 27 of last year, and attempted burglary in Ryde, on October 21 of last year.

He also admitted three counts of aggravated vehicle taking, three counts of taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, and seven counts of driving without insurance.

Prosecutor, Tim Devlin, said the charges related to six incidents, and the first, on September 22, took place at around midnight.

He said a parked Ford Transit van containing tools was taken, and its owner received a call from Appley Manor Hotel telling him the vehicle had crashed into a brick wall and taken out a sign outside, causing significant damage.

Mr Devlin said Jones drove the car at around 2.45am, stopped in a cul-de-sac, tried driving across a footpath and abandoned the vehicle after a wheel came off.

The court heard the victim was seeking compensation to the value of £9,000 for the van, £15,000 for the tools, and £3,000 for the loss of earnings.

A total of £917 was also being sought for the damaged caused at Appley Manor.

Jones’s DNA was found on the steering wheel.

On October 21, police were called to St John's Hill, Ryde, following a report of someone trying to enter an address.

Jones, who was identified on a Ring doorbell camera, was seen approaching the property, peering through a window, and lifting the front door handle, said Mr Devlin.

Then, on November 8, police received a call from a member of the public, alerting them to a Range Rover driving erratically.

The vehicle was left smoking and abandoned at Seaclose Park, where the stench of burnt rubber was noted, and two people were seen making off from the vehicle.

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The court heard the Range Rover was written off, and Jones had also driven a second vehicle belonging to the same owner - a tipper van he abandoned on a dirt track near Staplers Road.

Compensation to the value of £18,000 was being sought for the Range Rover, £750 for the tipper van, and £15,000 for the damage to the playing field.

Police found McDonald’s food wrappers in the tipper van, noted the time on the receipt, and Jones was identified on CCTV.

Two days later, on November 10, police responded to a report of someone breaking into a property, stealing car keys, and taking a Ford Focus.

Mr Devlin said the keys had been left in a jacket pocket hanging on a door in the porch.

The vehicle was spotted near McDonalds at around 5am and Jones was once again identified on CCTV.

Compensation of £744 was sought for the car keys, £336.47 for repairs, £152 for a replacement lock, and £192 for the recovery charge.

Eleven days thereafter, on November 21, police were alerted to another incident – this time involving a Ferrari California and a VW Polo.

The owner of the vehicles woke to hear the distinctive sound of his Ferrari being driven aggressively, the front door of the house had been left ajar, his cat had been let out, and the keys to both cars were missing.

The Ferrari was seen on Quarr Hill, travelling at speed past police, and eventually found on Wootton High Street, while the VW Polo was found on Sunset Road in Ryde with the engine still warm.  

Both vehicles were recovered, undamaged.

Finally, on November 26, a couple awoke to find the front door of their property left open and their Audi A6 and keys missing.

The vehicle was located a day later at the junction of Arctic Road and South Road in Cowes, parked on the pavement with visible damage to its front end.

The vehicle was seen colliding with a garden fence.

Once again, Jones’ DNA was found on the steering wheel.

Joscelyn Lee, defending, said Jones was diagnosed with schizophrenia last year, felt like a different person after medication, and was much calmer and better in himself.

He was also diagnosed with autism and ADHD, made homeless, and in his own words: “feeling funny and mad in the head”.

She described his behaviour as opportunistic offending with no sinister motive.

The court heard Jones was easily influenced by associates, hearing voices in his head, and in a mental health crisis at the time of the offences.

Ms Lee said Jones had a very traumatic upbringing and was neglected and in care by 12.

He had already spent six months in custody.

Jones, who has ten previous convictions for 20 offences, and is already serving two community orders, was handed a 20-month jail term, suspended for 24 months, to include 30 rehabilitation days.  

He was disqualified from driving for 12 months but was not ordered to pay compensation.