Man jailed for Alston burglary in which accomplice died

Keiron Heslop was jailed for 23 months

A burglar has been jailed for a quadbike theft in which his accomplice was killed.

David Young, 39, died when he lost control of a quadbike he and the rest of the gang had stolen from a farm in Alston, Cumbria, on 6 January 2020, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

Keiron Heslop, 29, and Shaun Arthur Murray, 43, both admitted being part of the burglary.

Heslop was jailed for 23 months and Murray for eight, suspended for a year.

The court heard the victim was alerted to a break-in by members of a Facebook Farmwatch group.

He found gates open, chains and padlocks snapped, and a red Honda quad bike missing, which was valued at £4,500.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing it being driven towards County Durham with two vans following.

Lost control

The rider, Mr Young, was travelling without lights, no helmet and as fast as the machine could go, the court heard.

But Mr Young, a married father from Bishop Auckland, lost control, crashed and was then hit by an oncoming Audi. He suffered fatal head and neck injuries.

One of the vans seen by witnesses was registered to Heslop who, in June, 2021, went on to commit further burglaries and thefts on an industrial site at Redhills Lane, near Penrith.

Two Ford Transit vans and keys were stolen, significant damage caused and the site owners were left with a £10,000-plus bill.

Heslop, of Denton, Darlington, admitted burglary and theft in relation to the Penrith crimes, having got involved in a desperate bid to clear a cocaine debt against a background of intimidation.

He and Murray, of Hill Terrace, Billy Row, Crook, pleaded guilty to burglary and theft at the Alston farm.

Murray must also complete a rehabilitation requirement, and a 10-week electronically-monitored night-time curfew.