A TROUBLED teen went on a stealing spree even with the threat of a custodial term looming over him.

Jake Kelvin Woodward, 18, of Llys Maes Teg, Greenfield, was on a suspended sentence when he stole items including cash and a bank card from five different vehicles parked outside homes in the same area of Flintshire.

He has since been locked up.

Woodward said he had no recollection of the thefts, due to the medication he was taking at the time, and when police searched his property, several of the stolen goods, including a TV license and two utility cards, were recovered.

Woodward had been given a six-month suspended sentence at the beginning of January, after he had gone on the rampage at a house party, including trying to set fire to a car outside his then-girlfriend’s home.

Justin Espie, prosecuting, told Mold Magistrates Court that Woodward carried out his stealing spree on January 27 and 28, when he stole from five cars parked outside properties on Tir Glas and Glan y Don in the Greenfield area.

In one of the incidents, the defendant stole an unknown amount of cash from a Volkswagen Golf parked on the owner’s driveway.

Staff at the accommodation where Woodward was staying at the time became suspicious and notified North Wales Police.

When officers searched his room, many of the items, including a shopping trolley token and a tyre repair kit, were found, but an undisclosed amount of cash and £50 of engine oil were not.

Emma Parry, one of the victims, provided the court with a personal statement, saying how she didn’t really care about the money that had been stolen from her car, but the fact someone had invaded her personal space, which had left her feeling vulnerable in her own home.

Mr Espie said the charges were really serious offences and aggravated by the fact Woodward committed them while subject to a suspended sentence.

Gary Harvey, defending, told the magistrates his client was a “troubled young man” who had no memory of the committing the thefts due to the diazepam he was taking at the time.

However, he said Woodward had been particularly close to his grandfather and that a watch that had belonged to him had been stolen, which brought about the “ironic” reaction, which was completely inappropriate.

Mr Harvey said: “The last place this man needs to go is into custody.

“Despite his predicament, he is in a surprisingly positive mood about his future and wants to work with probation to change his life.

“The offence that resulted in the suspended sentence had been carried out during a chaotic phase.

“He’s a vulnerable young man with a history of self-harming, but he is living with his uncle now, is in a safe place, and I hope you can give him a chance to maintain his liberty.”

However, magistrates told Woodward it would be unjust for them not to activate the suspended sentence as he had shown minimum compliance with the terms of the order imposed in January.

On top of activating the six-month sentence, he will also serve one month for each of the five thefts, which will all be served consecutively, meaning a total of 11 months.

Woodward was also ordered to pay compensation totalling £350 to three of the victims and a surcharge of £122.