Trio of thieves stole thousands for scrap metal touring Derbyshire in Transit van, court hears

Lee Bailey, Nicholas Bailey and Christoper Loy stole over 11,000 worth of metal from pubs and restaurants, industrial businesses and home renovation projects between February and April 2023.

Derby Crown Court heard all three men turned to lifting the goods in Lee Bailey’s white transit van while struggling to pay their bills at home.

A prosecutor described how on February 27 Nicholas Bailey and Christoper Loy made off with fan units from with a scrap value of £100 from a business on Hardwick View Road in Holmewood. Days later on March 7 the same duo stole a beer cooling unit and some tables from the Red Lion pub in Alfreton worth £1,000.

On April 4, all three snatched 10 scrap batteries and 11 alloy wheels from a Bakewell MOT centre worth £800 and, later the same day, a cooking pot and a step ladder worth between £500-£600 from a Darley Dale Indian restaurant.

The trio stole copper and lead piping worth £250 from a Chesterfield house on Brookside Glen undergoing renovations and later the same day they pilfered steel bars from a Holmewood meat company worth £8,000.

During a burglary at another Chesterfield property on April 25 Christoper Loy was seen kicking basement door to gain entry to another Chesterfield property where copper piping worth £500-£1,000 was stolen.

The trio admitted a number of theft and burglary offences.

Nicholas Bailey, of Fishponds Road West, Sheffield, had two previous convictions for five offences the court heard while Lee Bailey, of Motehall Road, Sheffield, had 24 convictions for 42 offences and Christoper Loy, of Fishponds Road West, Sheffield, had 15 convictions for 27 offences.

A barrister representing Nicholas Bailey said his client was mid-divorce at the time of the raids and was being charged by his ex-partner to see his children, resorting to stealing for scrap to increase his earnings.

The court heard many of Loy’s convictions were for offences committed when he was under the age of 20 and had “lost his way” recently after being out of trouble for the best part of 18 years.

Loy had taken to thieving after falling into “financial hardship” in an effort to support a “growing young family”.

Lee Bailey’s barrister said there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation in respect of his client, who had been “engaging well” with probation while serving community orders for previous offences.

His client, who was compelled to offend by “financial pressures”, was described as “working hard and going the extra mile”.

Judge James Carter handed Lee Bailey 50 weeks’ jail, Christoper Loy 53 weeks’ jail and Nicholas Bailey 54 weeks. All three sentences were suspended for 18 months.

Lee Bailey, 37, was handed a 31-day probation programme with five rehabilitation activity days and 60 hours of unpaid work.

Christopher Loy, 38, was ordered to complete 12 rehabilitation activity days and 70 hours of unpaid work.

Nicholas Bailey, 39, was given 12 rehabilitation activity days and 60 hours of unpaid work.

The defendants were ordered to pay £50 compensation each for the damage to the door of the burgled property.