Youth, 15, left tire marks on ‘pristine’ Llanrwst cricket club pitch

Dec 2 2010 by Dave Powell, North Wales Weekly News

A 15-YEAR-old boy who stole a dumper truck and drove it across a cricket pitch in an “astonishing” incident has been given a curfew.

The Llanrwst youth, who cannot be named because of his age, pinched the works vehicle from Gwydir Park with other youths.

He then took part in driving it into railings and an advertising hoarding at Llanrwst United Football Club and onto the adjacent Llanrwst Cricket Club pitch, magistrates at Llandudno Youth Court heard on Tuesday.

Prosecutor Nita Dowell said this summer cricket club officials had hired the Benford model dumper truck to help with work.

On Friday, June 18 at 8pm a man took his dog for its regular walk around Gwydir Park.

Ms Dowell said: “He noticed that the dumper truck was not in its usual place and the normally pristine surface was damaged with semi circular and straight track marks over the playing area.”

He also spotted a group of youngsters at the former pavilion.

Ms Dowell added: “The dumper truck was just in front and the defendant was sitting on it. The walker described his astonishment as he drove onto the cricket field, around the pitch, parked it and ran off.”

Llanrwst FC staff also found £1,000 of damage to its club railings and an advertising board, making a total of £1,062 of damage. The same youth committed other offences in July.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, causing criminal damage to a kissing gate, being carried in a car which was found wrecked at Capel Curig, and to a public order offence.

Magistrates imposed a two-year youth rehabilitation order, a three-month 8pm-7am curfew, and ordered him to pay £405 in compensation and costs.

The boy blamed boredom and defending solicitor Donald Roberts told the court: “He got involved with older people – and bad company.”