Notorious villain Robert McKegney suffered serious injuries when he crashed an off-road motorbike which he had no licence to drive.
McKegney, formerly known as Webber, was with Christopher Eade in a car which killed Felling pensioner Jimmy Mulligan in 2002. He was never charged and his pal was not convicted.
Over the years he has racked up almost 100 convictions for violence, driving offences and dishonesty. Now he has been back in court for a new series of crimes while he was already on a suspended prison sentence.
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Newcastle Crown Court heard that in December last year he stole beer and cigarettes from a convenience store in Low Fell, Gateshead and when he was arrested in January he was in possession of a wrap of heroin. He pleaded guilty to theft and possessing the drugs.
He was released on bail for that when he carried out the driving offences on March 20. Jane Waugh, prosecuting, said: "Police attended a location in Gateshead following a report of a traffic collision.
"They found the defendant lying injured being treated by paramedics, having driven off and crashed his off-road motorbike, that had been removed from the scene by an unknown third party.
"Officers found it at his home and saw it had recent damage and blood on it." McKegney was taken to hospital and police took a sample of blood when he was unconscious, which he later refused them permission to analyse. He admitted driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, having no insurance and failing to provide a specimen.
Having been bailed again, he caused damage to the door of a Nationwide branch in Sunderland. He was initially charged with attempted burglary but prosecutors accepted his plea to criminal damage.
The 40-year-old, of Wardle Gardens, Felling, Gateshead, who has 96 previous convictions, was subject to a suspended at the time, imposed in February last year after a spate of burglaries including smashing his way into an elderly couple's home using a paving slab.
For the latest offences, Judge Stephen Earl extended the suspended sentence by adding extra rehabilitation days and imposing a 12 month community order. He was also banned from driving for 12 months.
Judge Earl told him: "This is your last chance saloon. I've taken into account you had a horrific accident which is hopefully a salutary lesson about this kind of offending.
"I'm willing to say you get one more chance. I can only repeat the words of the bible: 'Go forth and sin no more'."
Rachel Hedworth, defending, said: "He suffers from a plethora of mental health problems. There has been a decline in the frequency and gravement of his offending. These are all very much at the lower end of the scale of offending, it's petty offending linked to substance misuse."
Miss Hedworth said McKegney had a troubled childhood and was introduced to drugs at 13.
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