A thief who made off with a trailer loaded with almost 200,000 Cadbury Creme eggs could face further charges relating to a stolen lorry cab, a court has heard.
The sentencing of Joby Pool was adjourned until March 28 after Shrewsbury Crown Court was told the Crown Prosecution Service is awaiting further information from West Yorkshire Police about the theft of the £100,000 cab.
A previous hearing at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court was told Pool is likely to be given a jail sentence of around two years after pleading guilty to theft and criminal damage.
The court heard the 32-year-old used a metal grinder to break into an industrial unit in Stafford Park, Telford, Shropshire, on February 11, before driving off with assorted chocolate goods worth more than £31,000.
Magistrates were also told Pool, of Dewsbury Road, Tingley, near Leeds, used a tractor unit which had been stolen in the Yorkshire area in October to tow away the trailer.
The stolen chocolate which was then driven onto the northbound M42, where Pool surrendered by walking towards police “with his hands up” near junction 11.
A crown court hearing in the case, held at Telford Justice Centre on Tuesday, was told the lorry cab has been traced by its owner’s insurance company.
Pool’s barrister, Kevin Jones, applied for sentencing to be adjourned for a “final decision” to be taken on the whether his client would face further charges.
Granting the application, Recorder Nicholas Bacon KC told the court: “If there is to be a likelihood that there may be further charges arising out of the incident, it seems to me that that should be interrogated and investigated before the sentencing court sentences on this matter.”
Pool, wearing a grey Adidas training top, was also told that a different judge will hear the case on March 28.
In a series of tweets posted two days after the theft, the West Mercia force said of the offence: “West Mercia Police has helped save Easter for Creme Egg fans after almost 200,000 of the chocolate treats were stolen from a unit in Stafford Park in Telford.
“The eggs-travagent theft took place on Saturday 11 February with the chocolate collection box thought to be worth around £40,000. Along with the Creme Eggs a number of other chocolate varieties were also stolen.
“Shortly after the theft a vehicle, presumably purporting to be the Easter bunny, was stopped northbound on the M42 and a man was arrested on suspicion of theft.”
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Market Drayton station replied to news the haul had been recovered, telling police “eggcellent work by all involved”.
