Second chance for dad-of-five who stole ex’s car from Bulwell and wrote it off

Justin Weedon admitted taking the Peugeot from her Cinder Hill Road address, on August 21, last year, when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court.

However, the 39-year-old denied a related charge of burglary, in which it was alleged he stole a watch, airpods, jewellery, a driving licence, a bank card, door and car keys from the same address, and that charge was discontinued.

Lauren Fisher, mitigating, said: “He is no stranger to the criminal courts. He has some very serious convictions but from some significant time ago.”

His five children have been “the motivation for him turning his life around”, she said.

Weedon, of Pedmore Valley, Bestwood, Nottingham, began taking cocaine at the age of 12, Ms Fisher said, and his addiction “saw him in and out of custody.”

“He has tried to turn his life around but accepts he has failed on some occasions,” she said.

But she said Weedon has also been working as a mentor and outreach worker for a youth development project, where he warns of the effects that drugs have had on him.

The court heard Weedon failed to attend court on the last occasion because he suffered a psychotic episode.

He is subject to a 12-month community order imposed in September last year for drink-driving and driving without a licence.

The vehicle theft caused “serious inconvenience” as the Peugeot, valued between £12,000 and £21,000, was written off.

Sentencing, Judge John Sampson told him: “There appears to be some movement towards, if not reconciling with, then normalising your relationship with your previous partner - the least said perhaps the better.

“You have a poor record but there are significant gaps in your offending and you deserve credit for your guilty plea.”

He imposed an eight-month jail term, suspended for 21 months, along with 15 rehabilitation actiity requirement days.

He warned Weedon: “It will be hanging over your head – if you so much as steal a bar of chocolate, you will be back before me.”