Gang jailed for stealing vital painkilling gas from five hospitals
The four men targeted three locations in County Durham in March
Four men - who stole painkilling gas from hospitals across Northern England - have each been sentenced to four years in prison at Teesside Crown Court today (Tuesday 13th October).
The gang from Norfolk targeted five hospitals towards the start of the coronavirus crisis; in Stockport, Manchester, Chester-le-Street, Bishop Auckland and Darlington.
Their well-planned spree happened between 21st and 23rd March - the day before the national lockdown was imposed.
Judge Paul Watson QC told them: "At this time, given the situation the health service is in, the effects could have been catastrophic.''
He said the Entonox and nitrous oxide cylinders were essential for pain management across the "whole spectrum'' of the health service, and called the burglaries "despicable conduct''.
Judge Watson added: "We know that in March of this year the country was in the early stages of being in the grip of a terrible pandemic, the spectre of which is still hanging over the nation now.''
He said it was clear even at that early stage that the pandemic "would take a terrible toll on precious national health resources''.
The judge said the raids posed a "significant risk of harm to those receiving pain management treatment''.
Oliver Evans (22), Harry Goodrum (23), Jake Alexander Roberts (23) and Wayne John Grady (42) admitted a single charge of conspiracy to commit burglary earlier this year.
The gang first broke into Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport (pictured below) and stole two nitrous oxide canisters, used for pain relief.
They then drove to Willington Hospital in Manchester and took another eight - some containing Entonox, or 'gas and air', which is often used in childbirth, and others nitrous oxide - from a storage unit after cutting through padlocks.
The gang travelled to the North East and smashed their way into a storage unit at Chester-le-Street Community Hospital to steal more canisters in the early hours of the next day.
They committed similar attacks on hospitals in Bishop Auckland and Darlington, taking 14 canisters from the latter, and driving off with them in the back of a BMW fitted with stolen number plates.
Police in Lincolnshire stopped a van the gang were using at a service station and found 29 gas canisters in the back.
Two men were arrested in the van and two others in the BMW were stopped by police in North Yorkshire.