A dissatisfied customer from a garage, who stole a 24-ton bulldozer and went on a destructive spree throughout a city due to a disagreement over his car, has been sentenced to 18 months in jail. Darren Coffey, aged 41, was intoxicated with drugs and alcohol when he took the £385,000 Caterpillar machine from his workplace on November 8 last year. He caused chaos and inflicted damage amounting to at least £8,000 during his rampage in Wolverhampton that lasted nearly three hours between 5:30 pm and 8:15 pm.
According to court proceedings, Coffey’s reckless driving ended only after colliding with a Royal Mail truck, which had been used by the police to block the road. Coffey, a resident of Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to various charges including dangerous driving, failure to stop, driving without a license or insurance, threats to damage property, criminal damage, drink driving, and aggravated vehicle theft.
While being sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Coffey wept in the dock. The court learned that Coffey had been in a dispute with Willenhall Autos regarding a vehicle he owned and had made threats to set it on fire and vandalize it.
After stealing the bulldozer from the Staffordshire border, Coffey informed the police that he was on his way with petrol cans. He navigated the bulldozer through various routes before the incident concluded in Willenhall town centre after nearly three hours.
Judge David Perry, during sentencing, stated that a prison term was inevitable due to the chaos caused by Coffey’s actions. He emphasized the risks Coffey posed to others on the road and the significant damage he caused. The judge highlighted Coffey’s intoxication during the incident and the video evidence of his actions.
Despite considerations for rehabilitation prospects, Judge Perry deemed immediate custody as the appropriate punishment due to the severity of the offense. Coffey was handed an 18-month prison sentence, with the judge emphasizing the seriousness of the incident and the necessity for incarceration as a consequence.
The court was informed that Coffey, a father of four, had a history of substance abuse and prior convictions related to driving offenses. His defense attorney mentioned his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and drug addiction, requesting a suspended sentence which was denied.
Having resided in the UK for 17 years after moving from Ireland, Coffey was sentenced to 18 months in prison. He will serve a minimum of 40% of the term before being released on license, with supervision for 12 months. Additionally, he was banned from driving for an extended period of three years and nine months, and required to pass an extended driving test before regaining his driving privileges.