Knife-wielding Nuneaton moped thief stung with almost nine year custodial sentence

A Nuneaton man has been sentenced to eight years and 10 months in prison at Warwick Crown Court, for a string of offences, including theft of a moped, having been caught in under 35 minutes.

Mitchell Peter Willison, 27, of Tuttle Hill, was sentenced on Friday, 2 February, having also been convicted of aggravated burglary, possessing a knife in public, possession of cannabis, and criminal damage. He is also required to pay a victims’ surcharge of £228.

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“Willison is going to be in exactly the right place for the next eight years and 10 months,” investigating officer DC Dawson of Warwickshire Police said. “This act of criminal violence is something that we will not ever tolerate in our communities, who should feel a bit safer in their homes today.

“This was an excellent result for our officers, who had Willison in custody only 35 minutes after he tried to make off with the victim’s property.”

The offences themselves began at around 1:45am on Thursday, 1 June last year, when he and another male entered the back garden of a house on Stoneleigh Close in Nuneaton, wearing balaclavas.

Having forced entry at the back door, they met the owner of the property on the stairs, with Willison then threatening to “cut his throat” before demanding the keys to his moped, as well as any cash.

After the keys and £10 were given, the offender then put on the victim’s motorcycle helmet and rode away on the stolen bike.

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Just 15 minutes after riding off, Willison was then discovered by police officers – ditching the scooter and attempting to hide in a bush to evade capture. However, he was quickly found and arrested.

Once in cuffs, police also found a switchblade-style knife, and cannabis in his possession, with Willison claiming he took the bike due to being: “in debt for sniffing coke.”

Once back in the cells, the convicted burglar also kicked the toilet off the wall, leading to the additional charge for criminal damage under £5000.