A brazen thief who resorted to crime within 72 hours of being spared jail for stealing laptops and phones worth thousands while ‘on the run’ from court has once again been given a chance to “prove himself”.
Tyler Jackson, who has a criminal record stretching back five years, was handed the opportunity to turn over a new leaf when, at Canterbury Crown Court on July 29 last year, he was given a suspended jail term for theft, burglary and drug offences.
But having been immediately freed from custody as a result, any hope of a law-abiding chapter in the 20-year-old’s life was short-lived when, in the early hours of August 1, he was caught driving a stolen Nissan Qashqai in Sandwich.
The crook even tried to evade capture by hiding under another vehicle where, stashed in a wheel arch, police later found the key to the Nissan.
It then transpired that three years earlier he had attacked a man with a plant pot but had never been prosecuted.
And if staying out of trouble for more than a few days had proved hard enough, getting him back to court to face the music was at times equally difficult.
While being held in custody on remand, one crown court hearing had to be abandoned because he was reportedly “under the influence”, and on another occasion he declared he was “leaving it” all to his lawyer.
Jackson was also seriously attacked behind bars and at risk of losing his spleen.
But now, despite it previously being said that he had acted with “monumental idiocy” by “throwing his chance back in the judge’s face”, the yob has again been handed his freedom.
Appearing on Thursday in front of a third judge in as little as six months, Jackson faced his fate for offences of causing grievous bodily harm, affray, handling stolen goods and breach of a suspended sentence order.
But he was told a “productive and constructive” sentence, and one resulting in his immediate release from custody, was “best” not only for him and his family but also the public.
The court heard that the Dover High Street resident has already notched up a staggering 21 convictions for 34 offences, including previous matters of dishonesty, violence and robbery.
It was in July last year that Jackson had appeared at the same court to be sentenced for burglary at Prism Technology in Deal, theft of an electric bike and possessing a small amount of cannabis.
The judge on that occasion, Recorder Daniel Stevenson, heard that four months earlier on March 15, Jackson had absconded from a magistrates’ court hearing, resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest.
But instead of lying low, he paid a brief, five-minute visit to the repair and retail shop in Beauchamp Avenue that same day “to see what he could steal and how to steal it”, said prosecutor Samuel Glanville.
He then returned in the dead of night, smashing a front window to pilfer three Apple Macbook Air laptops and 15 phones, as well as up to £1,500 in cash, including money from the staff tips jar.
The court heard business owner Mathew Culver was left “anxious and worried”, and feared the potential impact on trade.
In a Facebook post which included a picture of the damaged frontage, an apologetic statement was issued to reassure customers.
It read: “Hi everyone, it is with a heavy heart that I’ve got some bad news to share. Last night, the store [was] broken into.
“I want to reassure everybody that ALL customer items are completely safe, NO customer items have been taken or touched. The only stuff that has been taken are items that are owned by Prism Technology.”
Mr Culver also spoke to KentOnline at the time over the devastation he felt after the raid.
But as the business was left counting the cost, Jackson was attempting to sell some of the stolen wares – worth between £12,000 and £15,000 in total – at a CEX store in Dover.
He was also still in possession of several of the phones when he was arrested on a train by off-duty officers.
The court also heard that four weeks prior to the break-in, Jackson had been caught on camera stealing an electric bike worth £1,500.
It had been left secured to a signpost outside the Firkin Alehouse in Cheriton Place, Folkestone, but when the owner returned within a few hours all that remained was the seat and combination lock.
Jackson, formerly of Freemens Way, Deal, was subsequently identified by police as the culprit when the pub’s CCTV footage of the theft was shared on Facebook.
At those court proceedings last summer, his barrister Gemma Noble said that he was “taking all the right steps” to put his offending behind him.
Equally, Recorder Stevenson told Jackson he appeared motivated to “change his ways”, leading to him being afforded a chance in the form of a 10-month jail term suspended for 18 months with a drug rehabilitation requirement (DRR) to address his cocaine and cannabis addiction.
The young offender even left court with a warning from the judge ringing in his ears of the prospect of further spells behind bars if he continued with his lifestyle of “taking drugs and stealing”.
Sadly, the “opportunity to break the cycle” – as Recorder Stevenson described it – was ignored, and led to Judge Mark Weekes’s “idiocy” remarks at a hearing three months later.
On that occasion, Jackson pleaded guilty to handling the stolen Nissan and a suspended sentence breach.
In respect of that latter offence, his then lawyer Phil Rowley acknowledged his client had had “great fortune to be given an opportunity but immediately threw it away”.
However, he told the court that there had not been any plan in place for Jackson’s release from prison that day, he was not able to return to his mum’s home through no fault of his own, and the DRR had not had “an opportunity to kick in”.
“Perhaps in the absence of any support and given his tender years, it’s no great surprise that regretfully he returned to his same offending behaviour,” added Mr Rowley.
It was also revealed that following his arrest in August last year, Jackson learnt he was to be prosecuted for the unprovoked plant pot attack committed in Deal on November 17, 2021.
The court heard he was one of five young males who had targeted a man walking home in the early hours and challenged him to a fight.
But when his stepfather and brother came to his aid, Jackson lashed out with the pot, causing a four- to five-centimetre cut to his victim’s head.
The three men were also threatened by the thugs with being “shanked”, said prosecutor Caroline Knight, and damage was caused to their vehicle with the hurling of rocks and a Buddha statue.
But she added although residents were woken and alarmed by the disturbance, the wounded man did not suffer “grave” injury and had not provided a victim impact statement.
The court also heard that the delay in prosecuting Jackson had been caused in part by the “ultimately unsuccessful” attempts to identify his accomplices.
Jackson subsequently pleaded guilty last month to causing grievous bodily harm and affray – and has now finally learnt his fate for all matters.
The court was told that the probation service had found approved accommodation for Jackson to live in on his release, where his “risk could be managed”. He would also be subject to regular drug testing.
“I don’t know what’s going to wake you up and set you on the right path…”
But it was explained to the judge that such premises would only be available as a prison licence condition and not if he were punished by way of a community-based penalty.
Handing him a six-month jail term and a £50 fine, Judge Simon Taylor KC said he had taken into account the “substantial” period served on remand as well as the “unjustifiable and inexcusable” delay in prosecuting him for the offence of violence.
But in doing so, and having already remarked on Jackson’s “appalling record”, he highlighted the chance he was being given.
“Time has to come when you stop committing offences and I am going to give you the opportunity to prove to me that time is now,” explained Judge Taylor.
“You have served the equivalent of two years and one month in prison as a consequence of the commission of these offences.
“During that time over the Christmas period, you were subjected to a very serious assault, an offence of violence which left you hospitalised.
“Your mother was contacted on Christmas Day and told you were in a very bad way indeed.
“I don’t know what’s going to wake you up and set you on the right path. Probation hasn’t in the past.
“But you are a young and immature man. Perhaps a period of reflection while in the community – not just reflecting on your victims but also what you put your mother through – might serve to make you think twice before committing any further criminal offences.
“Because that is what’s best for you, that is what’s best for your mother and that is what’s best for the community.”
Jackson, who was also ordered to pay £440 to his GBH victim within one year, was told that although his release from custody would be immediate he would still be subject to licence conditions as well as post-sentence supervision for a year.
Having been wished good luck in the future by Judge Taylor, Jackson replied: “Thank you, Your Honour, thank you.”
#convictions #years
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