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Loyalty lands brother in court
A "LOYAL" brother ended up in court after collecting a stolen car for his older sibling who was on the run from police, a court heard.
Officers found the 15,000 Nissan on the driveway of Steven Rutter's family home in Peterlee after it was stolen from a design unit in Stockton.
It was traced four days after a thief had snatched the owner's briefcase containing the keys from an office in Portrack Lane, Stockton, on July 11, Teesside Crown Court was told.
Rutter, 20, who was of previous good character, told officers that he had received a phone call from his brother, who had absconded three months earlier, asking him to collect a car for him from Darlington.
Ian Mullarkey, prosecuting, told the court: "He said he realised the vehicle had been stolen because his brother did not have the money to buy it."
The vehicle's tax disc had been altered to display a different registration.
Rutter said that he had not altered the disc, but he admitted he had assisted his brother to avoid apprehension.
Nigel Soppitt, mitigating, said that Rutter had misguided loyalties towards his wayward brother and he collected the car and left it on the driveway as he had been instructed.
The car and all the other items were recovered undamaged within days of the theft and Rutter was now working in Germany.
Judge George Moorhouse told him: "They are very serious offences.
"Fortunately for you all the items have been recovered. You were only
20 and you have never been in trouble before.
"I accept that your brother has been in a lot of trouble in the past and you foolishly agreed to his request to collect the car."
Rutter of Trevelyan Place, Peterlee, was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay 600 prosecution costs after he pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods and assisting an offender.
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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