Wakefield fuel thief jailed as second suspect denies leaving petrol station employee with brain damage
A driver who was part of a two-car convoy that stole petrol from a garage has been jailed, with the second driver accused laving a worker in a critical condition.
Aderoju Adeniran was behind the wheel of an Audi S3 that made off without paying for fuel from the Esso garage on Castleford Road, Normanton, in October.
A second vehicle that was with Adeniran also failed to pay, but it then struck an employee who tried to stop the car leaving.
The worker suffered serious head injuries and had to be placed on a ventilation machine. He has since been removed from the machine but suffered “irreparable” brain damage.
Prosecuting the case at Leeds Crown Court, David Hall said the two vehicles entered the forecourt of the garage together at 2.15am on October 20.
Both drivers got out, covering their faces and simultaneously filled up their cars with more than £40 of fuel before fleeing at the same time.
The employee saw what they were doing and came rushing out with a broom, hitting the second vehicle which went on to strike him.
The Audi driven by Adeniran reversed and left the scene. It was also found to be on false plates.
Adeniran, 31, was out of prison on licence, was later arrested.
He has since been returned to jail to serve the remainder of a lengthy sentence he received for GBH with intent and manslaughter. He will not be eligible for release until at least 2032.
He appeared in court this week via video link from HMP Hull and admitted making off without payment and fraudulent use of registration plates.
Mitigating, Eleanor Gwilym said that Adenrian had committed the fuel theft to get home to London because he did not have the cash to pay.
She added: “He has been replaying what he ought to have done and what decisions he ought have made.
“He knows it was a stupid thing to get recalled for.”
She said Adeniran, of Central Street, Islington, has a young daughter and was unable to see her because he was hundreds of miles away in Hull.
Despite this, he was “not feeling sorry for himself” and has a job in jail as an orderly, helping other inmates who are due for release.
Referring to the petrol station incident, Judge Richard Mansell KC told Adeniran: “You were working as a team and you knew exactly what you were about to do.”
He said they got out and began fuelling at the same time, looking at each other, then got back and drove off together.
But he said to avoid the employee, Adeniran reversed out of the garage. He told him: “You are not to be held responsible for his [the second driver’s] actions.”
Judge Mansell gave him two months’ jail, but conceded it would have to be served immediately and would make no difference to his release date.
Meanwhile, a man is set to stand trial charged with GBH with intent in relation to the garage worker.