A serial motoring offender stole a car as the owner’s legs were hanging out of the vehicle as she tried to stop him. She could feel herself being dragged underneath the car before she let go and scraped her wrist and leg on the road.
Carl Hunt, 34, and another man had entered a B&M Bargains store in Caerphilly on January 13 last year and took a Bluetooth speaker and beer. After they left the store they came across a Nissan Note car belonging to Carly Georgijev outside a gym.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday heard Ms Georgijev had issues with the car’s starter motor but having eventually started the ignition she went back inside the gym to fetch some equipment. The defendant quickly got into the driver’s seat and the other man got into the passenger seat.
He attempted to drive off but Ms Georgijev returned and told Hunt: “Get out of my f****** car.” She hung on to the vehicle with her body inside and her legs hanging out as the defendant reversed and drove off. The victim was dragged a short distance and could feel herself being pulled underneath the car. As a result she let go and suffered scrapes to her wrist, knee, and ankle. Sentencing, Recorder Robin Rouch said: “If she was dragged underneath the car her injuries would have been catastrophic.”
The Nissan was later recovered by police and Hunt’s DNA was found inside the vehicle. He was arrested and interviewed, claiming he had no recollection of events as he was “off his head” on Valium and vodka, but he accused police of trying to “pin it on him”.
On November 13 last year officers received reports of a van swerving on the M4 near Pyle which had almost caused a crash. Hunt was tracked down on the A48 but he was found asleep behind the wheel with a woman in the passenger seat. An officer got out to speak to the passenger as she tried to wake up Hunt who appeared to be under the influence of drugs.
The officer told the defendant to take the keys out of the ignition and walked around to speak to him but Hunt tried to drive off. He reversed and collided into a police car as the officer tried to use his asp to try and break a window. A police chase ensued with the defendant causing damage to four vehicles on the A48. He drove through a red light as a helicopter was deployed to track his movements. The defendant was eventually cornered at Parc Plaza in Bridgend and was detained.
Hunt, of Musselwhite Court, Pontllanfraith, Blackwood, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle-taking, theft from a shop, dangerous driving, failing to stop, four counts of criminal damage, two counts of driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance. The court heard he has 22 previous convictions including burglary, driving with excess alcohol, driving while disqualified, dangerous driving, taking without consent, and wounding.
In mitigation defence barrister Gareth Williams said his client hopes to move to live with his brother in Carmarthenshire following his release from prison in order to get away from his peer group and drugs. Recorder Rouch sentenced Hunt to a total of 24 months imprisonment. He was also disqualified from driving for 46 months.
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