Jail for stealing fuel from sleeping truckers on A55

The lay-by is located off the A55 and is a major route for transporting goods into Europe from Ireland

Three men have been sentenced to six weeks in prison for stealing fuel from lorries as their drivers rested overnight in Flintshire.

Anthony McDonagh, 38, Patrick Doyle, 23, and Jason Doyle, 38, all from Ireland, siphoned fuel from the lorries in a lay-by off the A55 at Dobshill.

The men pleaded guilty to theft at Flintshire Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

Deputy District Judge Timothy Gasgoyne also issued the men with driving bans.

They were caught when a lorry driver sleeping in his cab was woken up and saw the men stealing the fuel and driving away in a van.

Police stopped the van and found a large number of fuel containers and a siphoning tool.

The court heard that the A55 is a "lifeline" through north Wales used to supply goods from Ireland into Europe.

The judge said there were "elements of sophistication" to the operation and that they had targeted vulnerable victims.

The three men were banned from driving for a year and sentenced to six weeks in prison.

Two other men pleaded not guilty to theft and their cases were adjourned for trial in April.