A THIEF responsible for more than 60 crimes in his community during a three-month spree was saved from a seemingly inevitable prison sentence - by his victims.

Sam Heys was forced into showdown meetings with some of the families he stole from as part of a pioneering restorative justice scheme run by Durham Constabulary.

The judge who allowed Heys, from Mickleton, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, to walk free said he hoped the case would be a "flagship" for the future.

The police officer who investigated the case gave evidence on behalf of the 21-year-old and told Judge Tony Briggs: "There's been a massive change in him."

Teesside Crown Court heard how father-of-three Heys may have been suffering from un-diagnosed autism which could be to blame for him going off the rails.

Detective Sergeant Geoff Makepeace said his law-abiding family had been "devastated" at his involvement in crime, and mixing with what he called "awful people".

Heys, an award-winning apprentice stonemason, has also agreed to wear an electronic tag with GPS monitoring to allow police to know where he is at all times.

The court heard how he owned up to 65 unsolved crimes in the Barnard Castle area between June and August after being arrested for trouble in a village pub.

Because he was suspected of being involved in the crime-spree, a local took a photograph of Heys when he was in the Forresters Arms in Middleton-in-Teesdale.

Shortly afterwards his car was overturned in the street and he returned to the pub where, during a violent disturbance, four people were slightly injured.

Weeks earlier, Heys was part of a gang which was involved in smashing up a Ford Focus in Darlington with hammers and axes, said prosecutor Nigel Soppitt.

Then in late-June and early-July, two trials bikes, a quad bike and power tools worth £16,000 were stolen from farm outbuildings in Barnard Castle and Barningham.

When Heys was arrested for trying to run a car off the road the day after trouble in the pub, he was given the chance to "clear the slate", said Det Sgt Makepeace.

He confessed to a catalogue of thefts and burglaries in his neighbourhood which his lawyer, Eric Watson, said would not have been solved without his help.

Mr Watson said: "The defendant is young, impressionable and has admitted all the offences in circumstances where others may remain silent.

"A significant degree of economic damage has been caused, but these are offences committed on impulse with the defendant being exploited by others.

"The other parties in this are the ones who have benefited. He did not make any profit. He has been accepted back, to some extent, into his local community."

In an impact statement, one victim said Heys's spree had cost him thousands of pounds and made him consider whether he should carry on farming.

Judge Briggs told Heys: "This type of offending causes an enormous amount of damage to a local community - economic damage, feelings of insecurity and fear, and is of the type that really is intolerable.

"All those present at the meeting at the village hall seem to speak favourably of you in relation to your reaction. You have no doubt found it a jolting experience.

"This is an unusual matter and it may be the flagship of similar cases that may occur in the future . . . this is your last chance. You have powerful assistance."

Heys, of Low Green, Mickleton, admitted criminal damage, two burglaries, affray and dangerous driving, and was given a two-year suspended jail term.

* The police officer who helped save Sam Heys from prison told the court: "I've promised him I'll unleash hell on him if he lets us down."

Detective Sergeant Geoff Makepeace gave evidence on behalf of the 21-year-old after he organised the restorative justice showdown.

He told Teesside Crown Court that a dozen of Heys's victims were at the "very powerful" meeting at Mickleton Village Hall last year.

"They told him exactly what harm that he had caused to them, and that was very impactive," Det Sgt Makepeace told Judge Tony Briggs.

"We got a lot out of that. What was staggering was that they wanted to give him another chance, and I had never seen that before.

"I gave Sam a piece of my mind and let him know that I thought he was travelling down the wrong way of an awful road with awful people.

"I left him in no doubt that the only way to recover from the situation he had out himself in and help repair the damage was to change.

"He had to clear the slate before we would invest the time and effort to help him turn around his life. It was very difficult for him.

"The advice I gave him was to leave absolutely no stone unturned, and then he would no longer have to look over his shoulder.

"He was very candid. He certainly told me about offences he had been involved in, over and above what we had evidence for.

"Had it not been for Sam's willingness to give this a proper go, we would not have been able to tell his victims and give them closure.

"That progressed to the first of its kind in the restorative justice arena and 12 of his victims sat around a table in his community.

"He has done absolutely everything that has been asked of him . . . it has been difficult for him, but he has never given up.

"I don't believe that custody is the best place for Sam.

"I know there is still a mountain to climb, but he has got a good way up it, and I am confident he can get to the top and come down the other side and function in society.

"If he was to continue associating with these people, my fear is we will be dealing with him for the rest of his life."