Rapping YouTube burglar returned to jail after latest Leeds break-in which led to police-helicopter chase
A “rapping “ burglar who boasted about his exploits on YouTube has been jailed again after another break-in, when he and a pal stole an Audi.
Dylan McEwan and Kian Poulton then tried to outrun police but were chased by a helicopter and eventually arrested.
Entrenched burglar McEwan made headlines in 2022 when it was found he had uploaded a cringeworthy video, rapping about being a car thief.
The 22-year-old, along with 21-year-old Poulton, were both given more than two years’ jail at Leeds Crown Court recently after breaking into a Rothwell home.
The pair were spotted in the early hours of May 8, dressed in black clothing and wearing balaclavas and gloves, trying door handles of cars.
They then were able to get into a property through unlocked sliding door and took the keys to the Audi A5 parked outside, along with a wallet containing a bank card and driving licence.
The pair then got into the Audi and drove off with McEwan behind the wheel.
Arriving police caught sight of the Audi and began to chase it as it went through red lights and the wrong way around a roundabout. They reached speeds up to 80mph in a 30mph.
Heading towards the Stourton interchange, pursuing police cars lost the speeding Audi, but the police helicopter was easily able to keep pace and relay details.
The car eventually hit a wall and they abandoned it on Skelton Moor Way and tried to run, but ground officers were directed to their whereabouts and arrested the pair.
Both gave no-comment interviews. McEwan, of Wyther Park Terrace, Armley, admitted burglary, theft of motor vehicle and dangerous driving. He has 16 previous convictions for 48 offences including multiple burglaries and thefts of vehicles. Some of his crimes have been committed with Poulton before.
Poulton, of Highbury Place, Swinnow, admitted burglary and theft of a motor vehicle. He has 16 previous convictions for 37 offences. Like McEwan, he has many for burglaries and car thefts.
Mitigating for McEwan, Rhianydd Clement said there was “genuine remorse” and that it was “impulsive behaviour from an incredibly young 22-year-old”.
He said McEwan was depressed and “failed to deal with his emotions the right way”.
For Poulton, Glenn Parsons said he “showed a great deal of insight” into his offending, but accepted he faced a custodial sentence.
The judge, Recorder Brian Whitehead told the pair: “Despite your young age you both have extensive criminal records.
“There was clearly planning involved, you were equipped with balaclavas and gloves.”
Both defendants were subject to the mandatory three-strike burglary rule - a minimum three-year jail sentence.
With credit for guilty pleas, it brought the sentence for Poulton down to two years, five months and 20 days.
For McEwan, it was brought down to 876 days - almost 29 months. But he was given an additional 10 months for the dangerous driving offence, making a total of almost 39 months.
He was also banned from driving for more than three years and seven months.