Paranoid cocaine addict jailed for trying to hijack lorry in Leeds city centre

Luke Cunningham attempted to take over the HGV that was waiting at lights on Crown Point Road in Leeds but was wrestled out of the driving seat.

He then jumped in a car belonging to a passer-by and smashed it into benches and bollards.

This incident was just the latest in a number of disturbing offences committed by Cunningham, Leeds Crown Court heard.

The 29-year-old had a long-standing problem with drugs and had run up a £10,000 debt.

Prosecuting, Joseph Hudson said that a gang had forced him to use his property as a growing space for cannabis to help him clear what he owed.

On the evening of October 9, 2020, Cunningham broke into his neighbouring property on Temple View Road in Burmantofts and chased the 18-year-old occupant, who was home alone, around the house.

After a scuffle, Cunningham then bit the man on the leg before the terrified victim escaped through a bathroom window.

Cunningham was arrested a short time later still in the property. Police, who noticed white powder residue around his nose, took him to hospital because of his erratic behaviour.

After searching his home, they found 3.5kg of dried cannabis.

On June 5 last year, he stopped a man on a moped in Wakefield and shouted “help, help there’s someone over there”, before inexplicably punching the rider in the head around 20 times. He tried to take the bike after the man got off and fought back.

Then on June 27 this year, Cunningham got into the cab of the HGV that was waiting at red lights at around 11.30am, shouting for the driver to help him.

He then tried to start the vehicle himself.

After the driver was assisted by members of the public to get him out of the cab, Cunningham then got in the Renault Laguna that belonged to one of the helpers.

After crashing it, he was detained by police and was found clutching a bag of cocaine.

Cunningham, now of Hawthorne Close, Gildersome, has 12 previous convictions for 28 offences, including ABH and dangerous driving.

Held on remand, he admitted the production of cannabis, ABH on the teenager, two attempted robberies, criminal damage, aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, driving while banned and without insurance.

Mitigating, Nicola Hoskins admitted his drug use was the root cause and said that was he learning to become a bricklayer before turning back to his old habits.

She said: “He was heading in the right direction. It’s unclear what has happened but he fell off course spectacularly.”

She said with each incident he was suffering “drug-induced paranoia" and feared someone was coming for him and simply wanted help.

Judge Simon Batiste told Cunningham that the case was “extremely worrying”.

He added: “For many years you have had a significant cocaine addiction.

"The offences are brought about by your drug use and irrational behaviour.

"If you take the drugs you do you can’t control your behaviour and society needs to be protected from you.”

He jailed him for eight-and-half years and banned him from driving for eight years and three months.