South Tyneside yob jail pleas after £6k wrecking spree to fix drug issues

Ben Goss, 24, smashed a wall and used its bricks and chippings to smash the front windows of two properties in Bede Burn Road, Jarrow.

The homeless offender then turned his attention to two cars parked outside, damaging £1,000 of glass in one and £4,999 in the other.

He struck on Saturday, June 29, in the hope of being caged and getting the help he needs from behind bars to tackle his substance problem.

When told by a judge in court he may be freed and not detained, he retorted: “Why won’t you just send me to jail? I don’t want to be bailed.”

Goss got his wish when District Judge Zoe Passfield imprisoned him for a total of 34 weeks at the borough’s magistrates’ court.

Prosecutor Chris Tame said Goss armed himself by smashing a wall adjoining two properties.

Mr Tame added: “Police attended after a number of reports about a man causing damage.

“There were three victims who have detailed a set of damage. A wall was damaged outside a property.

“He caused £1,000 of damage to a Dacia with sandstone through the windscreen and driver’s window.

“The front window of a property was also damaged, and there was a broken gate. A VW car had £4,999 of damage.

“The defendant remained in situ. He said to police, ‘I want to go back to prison. I’ve done these offences to attract police so I can go back to prison.”

Goss also targeted Brown & Vaughan’s store in Finchale Road, Hebburn, on Monday, June 24, and Saturday, June 29.

He was first prevented from taking a crate of cider but made off with £13 of booze the second time around.

Goss pleaded guilty to three counts of causing criminal damage and one each of theft and attempted theft from a shop.

He committed the crimes while serving a community order for assaulting three police officers.

Josh Hart, defending, said a troubled childhood had led Goss into drug use and his only period of change had been when jailed for a previous offence.

Mr Hart said this was why his client wished to be returned to custody, adding: “He realises his life has been spinning out of control.

“He would say the only period of abstinence came from a period of incarceration in 2021. If granted bail today, Mr Goss will go out and commit more offences.

“He doesn’t want to be bailed at all. He feels his interests are best served in custody.”

Judge Passfield jailed Goss for 16 weeks for the £4,999 car damage crime and to four weeks concurrent for the two other criminal damages.

The judge also jailed him for six weeks consecutive for the theft and four weeks concurrent for the attempted theft.

She also revoked the community order and replaced it with three 12-week terms, to run concurrently to each other and consecutively to the other sentences.

He was ordered to pay the shop £13 compensation.