A PEMBROKESHIRE carpenter has received a jail sentence after pleading guilty to receiving stolen goods and stealing vehicles on two separate occasions.

This week a judge was told that Daniel Hudson, 30, committed the catalogue of crime while he was heavily dependent on Class A drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine.

Appearing  at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, Hudson admitted the aggravated taking of a vehicle from Holyand Road, Pembroke; using that same vehicle on a road without third party insurance; going equipped for theft; stealing another motor vehicle in Bristol; receiving stolen goods; driving above the specified drug-drive limit; driving whilst disqualified on two separate occasions and failing to surrender to bail.

Crown Prosecutor Nia James said that on August 28, 2022, police received a call saying that a delivery van had been stolen in Bristol. 

“Its driver had been delivering a package, but when he went back to his vehicle, it had gone,” she said.

“It was later picked up on an ANPR camera and there were two males seen inside the vehicle.”

Then the vehicle was stopped by police, Hudson jumped out of the driver’s seat and ran off into a large open space.

Officers detained him, and Hudson immediately admitted that he had been the driver.

“He said he’d just seen the keys in the van so thought he’d have a go at it,” stated the Crown.

“He also admitted that he’d taken crack heroin that same day.”

Subsequent drugs tests showed Hudson had 200 mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system.  The legal limit is 50.

Meanwhile on July 22, 2022 a Mr William Greeves had ridden his Genesis Equilibrium bike, valued at £1,800, to a church in Bristol where he was instructing a class.

“But when he returned to the bike, he found that it had gone,” continued Nia James.

“He made enquiries on social media and arranged to meet a man, who turned out to be the defendant, to buy the bike.  Mr Greeves alerted police about the situation and the defendant was arrested.”.

Ms James said that Hudson informed the officers that his intention was to sell the bike ‘to make some money’.

On September 25, 2024, the owner of a Renault Kangoo that had been parked outside a property in Holyland Road, Pembroke, received a call to say that his van was in the middle of the road and both of its airbags had been deployed.

Police were called to the scene and discovered that the vehicle had mounted the verge, resulting in damage to its bodywork.  The registered keeper was spoken to who confirmed that prior to being removed from his property, the vehicle was undamaged..

Just after 7am the following morning police received a call from Hudson who admitted stealing the van the night before.  He also told them where he had left it.

“It was obviously the same vehicle,” said Ms James.

Hudson was legally represented in court by Jess Hill who said that at the time of the offences, her client was heavily dependent on class A drugs.

“He was heavily influenced by drugs and was a Class A user,” she said.  “He then decided to leave this lifestyle behind and is now clean from drugs, however hasn’t been able to tackle his alcohol abuse, which is why the more recent offences were committed.”

Ms Hill informed District Judge Mark Layton that Hudson, of Trewent Park, Freshwater East, works as a self-employed carpenter.

After considering the mitigation, Judge Layton sentenced Hudson to 42 weeks in custody.  Half of the sentence will be serviced in prison, with the remaining time on post-sentence supervision.

He was ordered to pay £800 compensation for the damage caused to the Renault Kangoo, £350 costs and a £187 court surcharge.  He was disqualified from driving for a total of five years and six months.