Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
One-man crimewave with 40 convictions aged 19
Court hears teenager who made knife threat was a drug addict at 14
A teenager addicted to drugs at 14 has been branded a “oneman crimewave” after racking up 40 convictions before his 20th birthday.
Robbie Murray, 19, has been locked up for two years following a four-month spree of offences in which he threatened to stab a child, was chased by police on a stolen motorbike and lied to probation officers to get cash.
The teen, who already had 21 convictions, admitted 19 more and was sent to a young offenders institute for two years when he appeared in the dock at Canterbury Crown Court. “You present as a one-man crimewave and at the age of 19 you have a prolific history of offending,” Judge James O’mahony told him. Barrister Bridget Todd told the court Murray was caught stealing a motorbike and scooter and dangerous driving on separate occasions between April and September this year. He stole a bottle of cider and headphones from B&M Bargains in Canterbury in April and would go on to frustrate the course of justice by breaching bail conditions - failing to surrender to the courts four times.
The following month, Murray handed probation officers a taxi receipt worth about £60 to claim travel expenses, but he was then seen riding off on a motorcycle.
In June, the teen was caught thieving meat from a Co-op store in Canterbury, but then fled on an uninsured moped before crashing head-on into a Porsche, causing £8,000 worth of damage.
Miss Todd said it caused the driver great anxiety.
“She went to try and help him; he rejected her help and tried to make off,” she explained. In July, Murray threatened to stab a child in Whitstable. “A woman received a call from a neighbour alerting her there was a man in her garden tampering with her fence,” Miss Todd said.
“She went out, and he said he would get a knife and stab her son up.”
The woman took a snap of Murray, handed the photo to the police and he was arrested. In September, a motorcyclist in Herne Bay reported his bike stolen. It was recovered two days later with Murray’s fingerprints on the throttle. A fortnight later the joy-rider sped from police on another stolen motorbike in Whitstable, riding on the pavement and the wrong side of the road, before eventually fleeing on foot.
Murray pleaded guilty to 19 offences ranging from aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous and careless driving, to theft, fraud, intimidation and failing to surrender.
Miss Todd revealed his previous convictions are comparatively minor - criminal damage, driving matters and petty theft. Mitigating, Phil Rowley explained his client was from a troubled upbringing where he became addicted to drugs, aged 14. The barrister added Murray had become undeterred by sentences handed down in the youth court, given its focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment.
Mr Rowley told the judge a period of custody “may be of benefit to him”, adding Murray has used his time on remand to tackle addiction. Murray, of Cockering Road, Thanington, was also banned from driving for three years.
‘You present as a one-man crimewave and at the age of 19 you have a prolific history of offending’