Man jailed after major crime spree across town in Northumberland

Andrew Jackman, 27, of no fixed address, appeared before Newcastle Crown Court on September 1 to face 20 separate charges committed between March and August this year.

He was handed a 23-month sentence, having been found guilty of all charges which included driving while disqualified, theft, failure to surrender to custody, making off without payment and threatening behaviour.

During the peak of his offending, Jackman stole an Audi A3 from a residential address in Bedlington Station and went on to use the car to commit multiple offences.

He was also found slumped behind the wheel of another car in Guide Post, having been found intoxicated by a member of the public, and was arrested shortly afterwards for driving while under the influence and without insurance or a licence.

He was found to have repeatedly stolen items from local shops and, as a result, was handed a 12-month ban from a number of Morpeth premises in July under the Shopwatch scheme.

Chief Inspector Helena Barron said: “This was a reckless crime spree from a man who is best described as a habitual offender.

“Quite often, we see offenders spiral out of control in this way when trying to fund a form of addiction and there is very little thought of the impact this behaviour has on others.

“His numerous driving offences could have led to serious injuries and his actions put our local community in danger.

“Jackman was a familiar face in Bedlington and was well-known to use bullying tactics and to intimidate residents and business owners.

“He brought about a culture of misery as he moved around the town and as such, I hope local people feel reassured now that he has now been removed from our community for a considerable period of time.

“Getting individuals like Jackman off our streets to allow our communities to thrive is our absolute priority.”