Wheatley man sentenced for Compton caravan theft

A man has been sentenced for handling stolen goods.

James Maughan, 61, of Middle Ground, A418, Wheatley, has been sentenced for handling stolen goods in Wheatley following an investigation by Thames Valley Police’s Rural Crime Taskforce.

Mr Maughan was sentenced to a year and three months in prison — suspended for two years — at Oxford Crown Court on Monday, October 9, after being found guilty of one count of handling stolen goods at Oxford Magistrates Court on September 1.

At around 10am on December 21, 2021, officers from the Rural Crime Taskforce located a Bailey Unicorn caravan — worth £15,000 — on Mr Maughan’s driveway in Middle Ground, Wheatley, which had been stolen from a farm in Compton earlier the same morning.

Mr Maughan was charged by postal requisition on January 12.

Investigating officer, PC Ryan Dollery, of the Rural Crime Taskforce, said: “The taskforce takes all reports of thefts and handling stolen goods offences very seriously.

“This caravan was stolen from a farm, but we promptly located it and returned it to the victim.

“The taskforce works with all police forces to bring rural crime offenders to justice so there is nowhere for criminals to hide.”

Mr Maughan was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation and a £156 victim surcharge and required to complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was also given an electronic curfew for five months.