Man convicted of handling stolen goods after £15,000 caravan stolen

A man has been convicted of handling stolen goods after a £15,000 caravan was stolen from a Compton farm two years ago.

James Maughan, aged 61, of Wheatley in Oxfordshire, was found guilty of one count of handling stolen goods at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Friday, September 1.

He is due to be sentenced on Wednesday, September 27.

In the early hours of the morning of December 21, 2021, a Bailey Unicorn caravan, worth £15,000, was stolen from a farm in Compton.

At around 10am the same day, officers from Thames Valley Police’s rural crime taskforce located the caravan on Mr Maughan’s driveway in Middle Ground, Wheatley.

Mr Maughan was charged by postal requisition in January.

Investigating officer PC Ryan Dollery of the rural crime taskforce said: “This conviction is greatly welcomed by the taskforce and the victim who had their caravan stolen but returned shortly afterwards.

“The rural crime taskforce is focused on making the Thames Valley a hostile area for offenders and bringing those who target our rural communities to justice.

“We also work across borders with the other police forces in the UK so criminals cannot hide.”