Middlesbrough man handed 12 month sentence for smashing up NHS workers cars

A Middlesbrough man who smashed up and tried to steal from cars belonging to NHS staff working "flat out" at James Cook Hospital has been jailed.

Callum Wood appeared at Teesside Magistrates' Court on Monday chargedwith four counts of attempted theft from a motor vehicle andpossession of a sharply bladed article.

A health care assistant had finished a 12 hour shift at the MartonRoad hospital to find her back windscreen shattered.

Others discovered similar scenes after "risking their lives" treatingother patients.

Security staff approached the 31-year-old who then reportedly becameaggressive towards them.

Cleveland Police confirmed that officers were called to the hospital car park after reports of vehicles being "smashed up" on Sunday.

Officers arrived at at around 2.30pm and arrested Wood.

Detective Constable Elizabeth Malcolm, from Middlesbrough CID, said: “At a time of national crisis, this man has broken into vehicles belonging to NHS staff and tried to steal from them. It’s appalling that anyone would do this at any time, let alone when our NHS colleagues are working flat out and putting themselves at risk for others.

“Coupled with Callum Wood’s previous offending, he was quite rightly sentenced to 3 months consecutive for each offence, a total of 12 months imprisonment. We welcome the sentence and want to warn anyone else who thinks it is acceptable to behave in such a manner, or who causes fear or harm in the current climate, we will find those responsible and we will prosecute them.”

District judge Helen Cousins sentenced Wood, of Rothbury Road, BerwickHills, Middlesbrough, to 12 months behind bars.

He received a three month custodial sentence for each count of theft.

The charge of being in possession of a sharply bladed article was withdrawn.

Wood was also ordered to pay £122 victim surcharge.