Spitting Leeds thief finally jailed after being handed 'innumerable chances'

Danny Staten completed just 12 of the 200 hours given for his crimes, so was brought back before Leeds Crown Court this week.

Prosecuting the case, Jade Edwards said 32-year-old Staten had a “complete disregard for probation”, that “compliance was non-existent” but conceded it was “always expected given his history of failing to surrender going back many years”.

Staten, of Malvern Road, Beeston had been convicted of attacking police officers after they had been called to a fight outside Co-op in Beeston on in September 2019. He attacked a PCSO and kicked out at another officer when he was taken to Elland Road police station. After being taken to hospital for claiming he had swallowed drugs, he then spat in the face and shoulder of a third officer.

Then a month later, he stole the keys for a handyman’s van while the man was working at a property on Old Lane in Beeston. He then drove off in his Ford Transit.

The vehicle was found abandoned two days later with £2,700 worth of tools missing. Staten received 13 months’ jail, suspended for 24 months, along with the 200 hours of unpaid work.

Mitigating, Martin Morrow said Staten had been attacked and stabbed earlier this year, pointed out this was his first breach and that he had not committed any new offences since he was convicted. He asked the judge if he would consider adjourning for six weeks to allow Staten to prove he could complete the work.

But Judge Tom Bayliss KC then pointed out that Staten had not been adhering to the unpaid work part of his sentence prior to being stabbed, so said he had little faith he would complete the remainder.

He activated nine months of the 13-month sentence and told him: “You have been given innumerable chances. The last judge took a risk by giving you another suspended sentence for serious assaults and for stealing van and taking a working man’s tools. I’m afraid you have spurned that chance.”