Prosecutors dropped the case against a man accused of stealing from a transportation firm’s truck – after it emerged he is doing a dozen years for armed robbery.
Jamie Smith, 28, was one of five people charged with theft of 61 boxes of goods worth around £7,000 from a vehicle belonging to Youngs Transportation and Logistics Ltd near Weston on the Green in July 2020.
On Friday (May 5), prosecutor Julian Lynch told Judge Ian Pringle KC: “The matter was listed today for the Crown to review whether they wished to proceed against Mr Smith, given he received, as I understand it, a sentence of 13 years and one month for armed robbery.
“Having considered the matter, the Crown took the view given that extremely long sentence the public interest is not served by setting a trial to have at most a modest sentence added to that very long sentence.”
Judge Pringle replied: “Very sensible, if I may say so.”
The charge of theft was formally discontinued by the prosecutor. Smith was not present, having refused to attend the video link room at Lindholme prison.
Four co-defendants will be sentenced on June 6. They are: Danny Hunter-Smith, 26, Mark Doyle, 46, John Knowles, 37, and Joseph Hunter-Smith, 36, all from Knottingley, Wakefield.
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