Prolific thief 'addicted' to trying door handles ordered not to touch cars for five years

A career criminal who is "addicted" to trying to break into cars has been ordered by a court not to touch any vehicle for five years.

Paul Priestly, 44, who has a criminal record stretching over 29 years, was caught trying car door handles on Monday night.

Now Peterborough Magistrates have given him a court order prohibiting him from touching or entering any unattended vehicle.

Priestley, 44, of Pennington, Orton Goldhay, was arrested by officers following reports of a man trying door handles in the Orton area.

Paul Priestly has been ordered not to touch cars for five years Credit: Cambridgeshire Police

On three occasions over last weekend, during the early hours of the morning he was caught on CCTV in Sevenacres, Orton Brimbles, Kilbride and Kelburn in Orton Northgate.

Police arrested him at the Ortongate Shopping Centre on Monday evening, where he was found with a lock knife and cannabis.

Defending, Andy Cave said his client did not take hard drugs or drink or commit violent offences but was "addicted" to trying car door handles.

Priestley, whose record includes hundreds of thefts, had been given a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order on 20 March 2018 banning him from touching or entering any unattended car vehicle without the owner’s permission.

But as soon as the order ended last week he began offending again.

He appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, where he admitted interfering with a motor vehicle, possession of cannabis and possession of a knife in a public place.

Priestly was found carrying this knife when police arrested him Credit: Cambs Police

Priestly was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years, must complete a 10-day rehabilitation requirement and has been made subject of a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order which states:

  • He must not touch or enter any unattended vehicle without the permission of the owner

  • He must observe a curfew from 11pm to 6am daily until 28 March 2027

PC Olivia Ciani said: “Priestley will chance his luck trying door handles of cars until he finds one that is open and will search it for anything of value that he can then sell on for cash.

“We will continue to work with him, alongside probation and other agencies to try to steer him away from criminality however, for as long as he chooses to commit crime, we will continue to put him before the courts.”

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