Man sentenced for stealing fuel from parked lorries in Northamptonshire and spraying driver in face

Two men have been sentenced after admitting stealing fuel from a parked lorry in Northamptonshire, with one spraying a driver in the face with CS gas.
Towcester service station. Photo: GoogleTowcester service station. Photo: Google
Towcester service station. Photo: Google

At around 11.45pm on Sunday (June 16), a HGV driver parked at services on the A43 northbound near Towcester realised around £500 worth of fuel had been siphoned from his vehicle.

Another lorry pulled alongside and when he attempted to speak to the occupants to warn them of the theft, he was sprayed in the face with an irritant substance thought to be CS gas.

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Catalin Raceanu, 30, of no fixed address, admitted charges of assault, possession of a weapon for the discharge of a noxious substance, theft from a motor vehicle at a hearing at Northampton Magistrates’ Court today (Tuesday, June 20).

Towcester service station. Photo: GoogleTowcester service station. Photo: Google
Towcester service station. Photo: Google

He was sentenced to 12 weeks’ imprisonment on each count, with two sentences to be served consecutively and one concurrently - all the sentences were suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to pay a total of £250 in compensation, a £115 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Raceanu also admitted one count of attempted theft from a motor vehicle after an attempt was made to steal fuel from a lorry in a lay-by off the A45 near to Daventry in the early hours of Monday morning.

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At the same hearing, he was sentenced to 12 weeks, suspended for two years, to run concurrently with the previous sentences.

In relation to the same incident, Adrian Raceanu, 28, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to attempted theft from a motor vehicle and was given a 24 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £250 compensation, £20 victim surcharge, and £85 costs.