Father jailed over stolen bike engines
A father of two who acted as the 'local fence' for criminals in his area has been jailed for four months.
Police found the engines from two stolen motorcycles among several vehicles parts when they raided the home of 41-year-old James Tipton, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
Attempts had been made to remove identifying marks but one was traced to a Yamaha stolen in 2013, two weeks after Tipton had been found with another stolen Yamaha in the back of his van, an offence for which he has already served a six-month sentence, explained Mr Iain Willis, prosecuting.
Tipton had 12 previous convictions involving 25 separate offences, two of which involved the handling of stolen motorbike machines and parts, disclosed Mr Willis.
Mr Stephen Cadwaladr, defending, conceded: "He has got a bad record but has a family and recognises that he has done enough of this kind of thing. His skill is with motorbikes and other vehicles. He handles quite a lot of legitimate parts but did not care whether they were stolen or not."
Tipton, from Chestnut Road, Coalpool, Walsall, admitted handling stolen goods and was sent to prison by Recorder Ciaran Rankin who said: "You show all the hallmarks of somebody who could be described as the local fence."
