Staffordshire metal thief banished from court for swearing

A metal thief was kicked out of court after swearing at a prosecutor and then went on the run before he and his accomplice were found guilty of raiding a former school.

In a day of drama at Cannock Magistrates Court, Samuel Cope was banished from his burglary trial after abusing the prosecutor and then one of the witnesses as he took the stand to give evidence. He was later called back but failed to appear. His accomplice Mark Inston narrowly escaped being kicked out of court after calling the prosecutor "stupid".

The court heard the pair had entered the former Westwood School in Blithbury, near Rugeley, in October to steal metal including radiators, fridges and chairs.

When police captured them just a few minutes after they drove away in Cope's van, the items were found to still have the labels on them, proving they belonged to that school.

The school premises, owned by Simon Brook, had been targeted by a number of trespassers since it closed in 2002 and Mr Brook said he had to add new padlocks.

Suspicion was raised when agricultural contractor Mark Froggett spotted the van being loaded with metal items. Three men were arrested by police.

Cope, aged 20 of Lichfield Road, Burntwood, had originally denied the charge of burglary, and when questioned said they had just found the items by the side of the road. He said they had been out "tatting" – collecting scrap metal.

Inston, aged 19, of Shire Ridge, Walsall Wood, Walsall told police he "couldn't remember" who he was with and what they were doing.

But evidence given at the trial by police identified footprints from both men.

Also charged, but found not guilty was Tyson Price, aged 22 of Long Lane Caravan Park, Walsall.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Cope, and Inston was having a fast delivery report carried out by probation today for sentence to be carried out.