Give up life of crime ...you’re no good at it!
What judge told career criminal who stole Porsche
A JUDGE has urged a criminal with 31 convictions to give up his life of crime – because ‘ he’s not very good at it’.
Colin Smith, 46, was hauled before a court this week for breaking into a rural home and stealing a Porsche before leading police on a high-speed motorway chase which lasted for 24 minutes. He travelled 85 miles from his home in Feltham, West London, to burgle the luxury property in Kineton, Warwickshire, in February.
After stealing a Porsche Cayenne, he then led officers on the car chase – during which he hit speeds of 115mph – before he was finally caught and arrested. This week, Smith was jailed for six years and banned from driving for eight after he admitted burglary, theft and dangerous driving.
Sentencing him, Judge Peter Cooke said: ‘It is amazing that with 31 convictions for 115 offences it has not dawned on you that you’re not very good at crime.’
Warwick Crown Court heard how homeowner Warwick Hoffman and his wife found Smith in their dining room after hearing a noise. Smith then ran from the property, which is set in three acres, with the keys to their Porsche.
Mr Hoffman chased the crook and smashed the car window to retrieve the keys – but Smith had already started the ignition. As Mr Hoffman ran towards the gate to block Smith’s escape, he stumbled and ruptured his Achilles tendon.
Around 15 minutes later the Porsche activated a number plate recognition camera as it headed south along the M40, alerting traffic officers and a police helicopter.
During the car chase that ensued, Smith drove into a police car and the motorway’s central reservation. At one point he was driving with his vision obscured, as the bonnet of the Porsche flew open – but even then, he did not stop.
Police caught and arrested Smith after 24 minutes of what Judge Cooke described as ‘a truly shocking’ driving.
The crook, who has previous convictions for domestic burglaries and
‘Breathtaking irresponsibility’
fraud, tested positive for cocaine. He gave no comment when he was interviewed by officers.
Judge Cooke said: ‘ People like the Hoffmans work very hard their whole lives to end up with a nice house in a desirable rural location, with a nice car on the drive, and then people like you come along and violate their home.
‘You clearly did so after reconnaissance had been carried out, because for you, being from where you come from, offending in rural Warwickshire bears no other explanation,’ he said. ‘This unfortunate couple had their home invaded, terrifying the pair of them, even though it must have been obvious this was an occupied house with people at home.’
He said of Mr Hoffman’s injury: ‘You didn’t cause it but it was a result of your invasion of their property.’ He added: ‘Once you had stolen his Porsche, you drove it with breathtaking irresponsibility. It was a truly shocking piece of driving which exposed many people to the risk of harm or worse.’
Nick Devine, defending, said: ‘His involvement in the offence came as a result of running up a drugs debt shortly after his release from his last term of imprisonment.’
He added: ‘He [Smith] has had a partner for the last 26 years and they have children of whom he has seen very little because of the time he’s spent in custody.’