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Jail me, says 140mph thief

Apr 19 2009 by Linda Richards, Sunday Sun

A CAR thief caught after a 140mph police pursuit has been jailed.

James Dibden, 54, chose to go to prison rather than be punished with a community sentence.

Gateshead magistrates heard Dibden had stolen a friend’s high-powered sports car to go looking for a New Year’s Eve party.

Dibden, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving, no insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Mick Foley, defending, said: “He feels he couldn’t do any community sentence because he can’t cope with group situations. He finds it difficult.”

So magistrates jailed him for 12 weeks. The court was told that Dibden, formerly of Beacon Court, Gateshead, had gone with three others to a friend’s house in Englefeld, Leam Lane, Gateshead, on December 30 to socialise and when they left, one of them took the keys to the friend’s Subaru Impreza.

As their friend went to bed the four men pushed the car down the street so they wouldn’t wake him.

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