Heartless thief stole cars from doctors working late shifts at Leeds General Infirmary
A “prolific” and callous thief stole cars belonging to doctors working busy late shifts at Leeds General Infirmary.
Stephen Sharpe gained access to the staff room at the city-centre hospital, firstly taking a car key and then stealing the vehicle from the multi-storey car park.
Having been arrested, he was released and days later went back to steal another vehicle using the same method.
The 35-year-old was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week.
Prosecutor Lydia Carroll said that Sharpe was a “prolific offender” who had only recently been released from a 32-month sentence for a dwelling burglary.
In the early hours of September 15 this year, a doctor reported that his bag had been stolen from the secure staff room at the LGI, along with his Vauxhall Corsa from the car park.
Another reported a laptop and coat had been stolen, while a third said their backpack had also been taken.
CCTV showed Sharpe milling around the hospital empty handed, then heading towards the car park with the bags he had stolen.
An hour later, patrolling police officers spotted the Corsa speeding through Bramley. They turned to follow but Sharpe cut across grass verges and accelerated away.
He then turned down an alleyway and crashed the car before getting out and running. He was quickly caught and PAVA sprayed.
He was found to have an NHS ID on him. During his interview he gave no comments apart from denying he was the driver.
But three days later he entered the hospital staff room again and took the keys to a BMW X5 from a handbag.
The vehicle was later recovered, but Sharpe was identified from the CCTV again. Officers went to arrest him at his home on Stonecliffe Gardens, Farnley, and he told them: “I know why you are here. I’m going back inside.”
He later admitted two counts of burglary other than a dwelling, two of theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving, and having no licence or insurance.
He has 36 previous convictions for 69 offences, including 20 for theft.
Mitigating, Craig Sutcliffe said Sharpe’s early guilty pleas were his best mitigation. He said he was addicted to alcohol and had managed to abstain for a period after his last prison release.
But having then been moved to shared accomodation in Leeds with other addicts, he fell back into his bad habits.
Judge Mushtaq Khokhar jailed him for 24 months and gave him a 30-month driving ban.