VEHICLE thief Ian Fenn was caught red-handed when he stole a van from a friend. Fenn was in the driver s seat of the vehicle as it was towed away when police stopped him. At that stage Fenn claimed to have the owner s permission to drive the V-registered

VEHICLE thief Ian Fenn was caught red-handed when he stole a van from a friend. Fenn was in the driver's seat of the vehicle as it was towed away when police stopped him.

At that stage Fenn claimed to have the owner's permission to drive the V-registered Daihatsu, but it later transpired that he had used false details when he sold the van for scrap.

Appearing at Ely courthouse on Thursday, 24-year-old Fenn, of Barway Road, Barway, admitted stealing the van from Mark Sporikou on October 18, and driving the vehicle without a licence.

He further admitted stealing the vehicle registration document for the Daihatsu van from Mr Sporikou on December 4, and driving a Renault car without insurance on October 26.

Fenn asked for four more offences to be taken into consideration, two offences of stealing meat, one of taking a car without the owner's consent, and one of driving without a licence.

Mitigating, solicitor Jacqui Baldwin told the court: "The van was taken from Mark Sporikou, he has a yard with a number of vehicles in it.

"When police followed up their inquiries they were told the van was worthless and in a state of disrepair. When my client was arrested he admitted the offences."

Fenn knew Mr Sporikou, she said. After the vehicle theft he was invited back to his premises, and when he saw the van's registration document he stole it.

She said Fenn has a prescription for the heroin substitute methadone, and has joined the Cambridge drug intervention programme.

Fenn was given a one-year supervision order to run alongside his current order. He was banned from driving for two years and told to pay £60 costs.

"This is a chance to sort yourself out," said presiding magistrate Bryant Watson.