'Kicked off' - South Shields Dad-of-eight who stole works van and wrote it off in smash cost insurers £23,000
A dad was fined £120 after stealing and crashing a work van, costing insurers thousands.
A South Tyneside dad-of-eight cost insurers almost £23,000 when he pinched a works van and wrote it off in a crash, a court heard.
Adam Bell, 43, made off in the VW Transporter after he argued with a colleague who had left the key in the ignition in Stowmarket, Suffolk.
The agency worker, of Marshall Wallis Road, Laygate, South Shields, had specifically told his bosses he did not have a driving licence when he landed the job.
Soon before the incident, his work pals had been asked by staff at a premises they had attended to socialise to remove him due his drunken behaviour.
He stole the van after they headed back to their hotel and one left the key inside while having a cigarette, prosecutor Glenda Beck said.
Bell pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated vehicle taking between Monday, February 10, and Thursday, February 13 last year.
Mrs Beck said: “He was working as an agency worker, along with two others for a commercial cleaning company.
“The manager of the company confirms the vehicle they had with them was a VW Transporter which had been leased.
“As an agency worker, the defendant did not have permission to drive the vehicle, and he had already told his manager that he didn’t hold a driving licence.
“They had been out for dinner after work in Stowmarket. Mr Bell had been drinking within the premises and had drunk quite a lot.
“At 9.15pm he was quite vocal, and staff asked the other people to take him away because of his behaviour in the premises.
“They did this to return to their hotel. One called the defendant's brother, who was also working with them, to tell him to sort his brother out.”
Mrs Beck added: “There was an altercation, and the defendant became aggressive to one. This man then went outside to have a cigarette, and he sat in the van.
“The defendant came out two minutes later and kicked off again. The van was not running but its heaters were on. The other man got out. It was 10.30pm.
“He got into the van, turned it on and drove away onto the A140. He didn’t have permission.
“The vehicle was then located and had damage to it as a result of it being crashed by Mr Bell.
“An insurance claim was made, and it was written off. The settlement total was £23,182. There was a £500 excess that the company had to pay.”
Bell was last before a court in July 2021 for drink driving, driving without insurance and driving without a licence.
Chris Wilson, defending, said the insurance payout did not reflect the true state of the van, which had said was in a heavily worn condition and not badly damaged by Bell.
Mr Wilson added: “He lost his employment because of this incident. He crashed into a wall.
“A significant period of time has elapsed since he last appeared before a court.”
Magistrates fined Bell £120, ordered him to pay his former employer £500 compensation, and banned him from driving for 12 months.