Man stole BMW from Thrifty Car Rental in Leeds to pay off drug debt to dealers

Kieran O'Brien was handed a suspended prison sentence at Leeds Crown Court over the deception carried out in November 2018.

O'Brien used a credit card to rent the BMW 4 Series from Thrifty Car Rental, based at Sheepscar.

Kristian Cavanagh, prosecuting, said the 30-year-old defendant rented the vehicle for seven days and the payment for its hire subsequently failed.

O'Brien failed to return the vehicle despite efforts to contact him at his home address.

The prosecutor said the vehicle was never recovered and O'Brien was arrested in January 2019.

O'Brien, of Brooke Street, Brighouse, said he had expected the vehicle to be returned to him but he never saw it again.

He pleaded guilty to one offence of theft of a vehicle.

The court heard O'Brien was the subject of a community order for burglary at the time of the offence.

Giles Bridge, mitigating, said O'Brien was suffering from mental health issues at the time and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Mr Bridge said O'Brien committed the offence after he was subjected to threats and pressure by others.

O'Brien was given a ten-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to complete 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and to pay £1,000 of compensation to Thrifty Car Rental.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said: "That vehicle was never returned and never recovered.

"That is down to you because you owed money to drug dealers.

"I am told you have paid that debt off.

"That is no compensation to the car hire company. They are £24,000 to the bad."