Leeds Crown Court: Gang of burglars targeted expensive cars in west Leeds and terrified homeowners

Jamie Rayner, 21, Luke Manley-Ward, 20, Keegan Thackray-Holmes, 19, and Ellis Brook, 18, went on a “sophisticated” crime spree in the early hours of March 30 this year, along with a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named due to his age.

During their sentencing hearing this week, Leeds Crown Court heard that at about 1am that morning, the five defendants stole a silver Audi from outside a house in west Leeds. They gained entry by using a programmed Audi ‘master key’.

The defendants were then caught on CCTV in Dragon Road, Wortley, at around 3.20am. They tried the back door handle to a house which had occupants inside. The door was locked and the defendants moved to the house next door.

They gained entry into the house by burning through a lock and stole six watches, cash and a wallet from a drawer in the living room. The owner of the house, who was away during the burglary, said that four of the watches were not expensive but were of sentimental value.

The defendants then targeted a nearby house in Linwood Mount, Wortley. At 4am, a mum and daughter sleeping inside were woken up by a smoke alarm. The outside of the door lock had been burned, setting off the alarm, but the defendants had failed to gain entry.

The final offences were carried out in Henry Grove, Pudsey. A family with two young children were asleep at home when the defendants broke in and stole car keys from the hallway table.

They took the new BMW X4 parked outside, which the owners had only had for a week. The homeowner was woken up by the disturbance and called the police just after 5am to report the burglary.

Police tracked the car’s movements using a fitted tracker, and by 5.20am the police helicopter found the BMW in the High Poplars area of Shipley - with all five defendants inside. Three of the defendants then got in a taxi, which was stopped by armed police.

Thackray-Holmes, Brook and the 17-year-old boy were arrested. Manley-Ward and Rayner were arrested a short time later in a ginnel off King’s Road.

Prosecuting, Tom Storey said: “There was a significant degree of planning and organisation. They were equipped for burglary with mole grips, torches and disguises of many kinds.”

All five defendants admitted two counts of theft of a motor vehicle, two counts of attempted burglary and two counts of burglary.

Rayner also pleaded guilty to a further count of vehicle theft and two further counts of burglary over previous incidents. In August last year, he was one of three suspects who broke into a home in Bradford and stole an electric dirt bike valued at around £2,000. He was arrested a month later.

On March 6 this year, he was part of a three-man gang who broke into a house in Colne, Lancashire, and stole two sets of keys from the hallway - while the occupants were asleep upstairs. A Ford C-Max was stolen from outside, and was spotted by police on March 13 using cloned plates.

A police chase followed and Rayner was eventually arrested. He was on bail for these offences when he took part in the burglary spree on March 30.

Rayner, of Thornacre Road, Shipley, has three previous convictions for five offences. In mitigation, Andrew Stranex said the time he spent in custody had had a “significant” impact on him and he was “very sorry” for the upset caused.

Manley-Ward, of Swain House Crescent, Bradford, has three convictions for seven offences - including dwelling house burglary and aggravated vehicle taking. In mitigation, Mr Stranex said: “He, too, has expressed to me his remorse and apologises to those who were affected by this offending.”

Thackray-Holmes, of no fixed address, has five previous convictions for 12 offences, including attempted burglary, burglary and aggravated vehicle taking. Mitigating, Richard Holland said the teenager’s father has been in and out of prison for most of his childhood.

Brook, of West Royd Drive, Bradford, has 21 convictions for 53 offences, which a judge said was a “terrible” record for an 18-year-old. He has spent time in custody for robbery and handling stolen goods, and his record includes theft of a motor vehicle, arson and assaulting an emergency worker.

In mitigation, Mr Stranex said Brook struggled with ADHD and was just 13 when he first went to custody. Mr Stranex added: “He doesn’t feel as if he’s had the opportunity to live the sort of life that he would like to live. He feels like an awful lot has been stacked against him in his young life.”

Passing his sentencing remarks, Judge Tom Bayliss KC said: “All of you need to understand, at your young age, that burglary is not a crime which does not have consequences for those who suffer it. You terrified them - and you’re doing it to make money for yourselves.

“Working as a team, you stole a car and then went on to commit a series of burglaries or attempted burglaries at residential properties in west Leeds.

“The last of those burglaries indicates what I’m quite sure was your overall purpose - the targeting of high-value vehicles. It was sophisticated, it was systematic, and it was organised vehicle crime.”

Rayner, Manley-Ward and Thackray-Holmes were handed 36 months in custody. Brook was given a reduced sentence of 30 months in custody, as he was 17 at the time of the offences. The 17-year-old boy will be sentenced in the youth courts at a later date.