Yob blames thieving on "defective gene"

9:39pm Tuesday 11th March 2008

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A SERIAL yob has blamed his bad behaviour on his genes.

Magistrates heard how Robert Webber may have a gene that leads him to have an "addictive personality".

"Lack of self-control in the early days that has come through to adulthood may be down to a defective gene that may lead to him having an addictive personality."

Peter Farrier, mitigating

The defence came after he was hauled before the courts and pleaded guilty to his third offence in just a week.

His solicitor Peter Farrier, said: "I have told him he is a legal aid lawyer's dream but he is a fool to himself and that he has to take responsibility for his actions and that courts will ultimately lock him up until he wakes up and smells the coffee."

He added: "Lack of self-control in the early days that has come through to adulthood may be down to a defective gene that may lead to him having an addictive personality."

Webber, who also goes by the name of McKegney, of Wardle Gardens, Felling, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to stealing a sat nav system worth £200 from a van on March 5 and selling it in exchange for drugs.

He also asked for three similar offences to be taken into consideration.

The 25-year-old was caught because he left part of his electronic curfew tag behind in the van. He was traced by the serial number.

Last Thursday's theft was committed while on bail and only days after he admitted stealing another sat nav system from a different vehicle.

That offence took place days after he admitted trying to draw £100 from Lloyds bank with a stolen card in the town's West Street.

For that he was given a community order for three months, with an electronic curfew and ordered to pay £50 costs.

Mr Farrier said Webber's chaotic lifestyle and offending stems from his childhood where he was not set parameters.

His mother spend most of her time looking after his sister who has cystic fibrosis.

"There has been inappropriate behaviour ever since. There has been complete utter lack of self control which he fully acknowledges himself and he gets into daft bits of bother like this."

Over the years, he said, Webber has suffered from one sort of addiction or another. He was addicted to heroin and other drugs and cheap booze.

Mr Farrier said: "All he wants to do is block out the reality of his surroundings."

He also told Gateshead magistrates how Webber had attended the majority of his probation appointments to address his re-offending and has started to value his freedom.

Webber and heroin addict Christopher Eade were in the untaxed and uninsured Ford Sierra Sapphire which hit and killed pensioner Jimmy Mulligan at a bus stop in 2002.

Both men admitted being the car which hit the 73-year-old but each said that the other was driving.

Eade appeared at Leeds Crown Court charged with causing death by dangerous driving in May 2005 but was cleared, while no prosecution has been brought against Webber.

The court heard that all the offences were committed while on a two-year Asbo imposed last December for a spate of offences.

Magistrates granted Webber bail with conditions to return to court for sentencing on March 31.