Four jailed over theft of painkilling gas from 5 hospitals

THE THEFT of cylinders of painkilling gas by a gang who targeted five hospitals during the coronavirus crisis was “despicable” and “could have been catastrophic”, a judge has said.

Four men from Norfolk were each jailed for four years yesterday after raids on hospitals in Stockport, Manchester and County Durham.

The well- planned spree happened over the weekend of March 21- 23 – the day before the national lockdown was imposed, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Judge Paul Watson QC told them: “At this time, given the situation the health service is in, the effects could have been catastrophic.”

He said the Entonox and nitrous oxide cylinders were essential for pain management across the “whole spectrum” of the health service, and called the burglaries “despicable conduct”.

Judge Watson added: “We know that in March of this year the country was in the early stages of being in the grip of a terrible pandemic, the spectre of which is still hanging overthenationnow.”

He said it was clear even at that early stage that the pandemic “would take a terrible toll on precious national health resources”.

The judge said the raids posed a “significant risk of harm to those receiving pain management treatment”.

Oliver Zak Henry Evans, 22, of Sandy Lane North, Wallington; Harry David Bradley Goodrum, 23, of Norwich Road, Dereham; Jake Alexander Roberts, 23, of Chestnut Hill, Norwich; and Wayne John Grady, 42, of no fixed address, admitted a single charge of conspiracy to commit burglary earlier this year.

Police in Lincolnshire stopped a van the gang were using at a service station and found 29 gas canisters in the back.

Two men were arrested in the van and two others in a BMW were stopped by police in North Yorkshire.

Speaking after the hearing, Detective Constable Helen Hudson, from Durham Constabulary, said: “This was an absolutely despicable crime.”