Leeds addict jailed for running down petrol station worker

A drug addict from Leeds who ran down a petrol-station attendant after failing to pay for fuel is starting a jail sentence of more than three years.
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Liam Slater admitted he was filling up his silver Vauxhall Corsa to siphon the fuel off later and sell to help fund his habit, Leeds Crown Court was told.

Forecourt CCTV footage of the incident was played to the court which showed 30-year-old Slater getting into the car, pursued by the employee at the Morrisons garage in Wetherby on the morning of December 11 last year.

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Prosecutor Joseph Hudson said the attendant suspected Slater, who had put in about £150 worth of diesel, was about to make off without paying which was "well founded".

Liam Slater tried to get away without paying for £150 of diesel from the Morrisons station.Liam Slater tried to get away without paying for £150 of diesel from the Morrisons station.
Liam Slater tried to get away without paying for £150 of diesel from the Morrisons station.

The worker stepped in front of the car to stop him moving forward and Slater pushed the car up against his knees.

The attendant then quickly clambered half onto the bonnet with his feet trailing on the floor before Slater reversed out onto the busy main road at speed in an effort to throw him from the car.

As bystanders looked on in horror, he then drove forward and backwards until the worker was finally shaken off and fell to the floor, breaking his collarbone.

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Slater, of Dawlish Avenue, Burmantofts, was not arrested until December 30 and gave no comments during interview.

He has been on remand at HMP Leeds since then and appeared in court via video link.

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He has 32 convictions for 60 offences, including aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving and three dwelling burglaries.

Mitigating, Martin Morrow told the court that his only real defence was his early guilty pleas to causing serious injury through dangerous driving and having no licence or insurance.

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He said that Slater had been hooked on drugs at the time, and added: "He developed a rather hedonistic lifestyle with little or no regard for others."

Judge Neil Clark jailed him for three years and four months, and gave him a new driving ban for three years and eight months.

He said: “It’s quite clear you were trying to shake him off. I realise you were misusing drugs and were essentially stealing the fuel to sell it on.”