A YOUTH who claimed to be heavily under the influence of painkillers took part in an early morning spree attempting to take or steal from parked cars.

Durham Crown Court heard Steven Mark Linn was involved in what became an attempted robbery after being disturbed, in the act, by a delivery driver whose van he was trying to remove.

It resulted in him facing three counts of attempted theft and one of attempted robbery stemming from the 70-minute spree in neighbouring east Durham villages, on November 6.

Twenty-one-year-old Linn, of Dene Terrace, Shotton Colliery, admitted the charges, but on the basis he has little memory of what took place.

The court heard he was pillion passenger with an unknown co-accused riding a motorbike between the scene of the offences.

Ian West, prosecuting, said it began with the delivery driver being approached by Linn as he pulled up in his van outside a convenience store in Salter’s Lane, Shotton Colliery, at 6am.

When the driver returned to the van following a delivery he saw a figure in the driver’s seat.

He pulled open the door and saw Linn, apparently under the influence of something, sitting at the wheel.

A struggle followed in which Linn tried taking the keys which were attached to a chain from the driver’s belt.

Mr West said, at one stage, Linn succeeded in putting them in the ignition.

But with the driver at risk of being dragged along, he managed to reach in and remove the keys.

Mr West said after a further struggle, Linn fled on the waiting motorbike.

Further efforts to take a Vauxhall Astra, parked in South View, in nearby Wheatley Hill, and separate Land Rover vehicles, from Jasmine Crescent, Trimdon Village, and Station Lane, Wingate, were all thwarted over the following hour.

Linn was arrest at his home address the following morning and was later identified by two witnesses.

He told police he was under the influence of pills given to him by friends to relieve pain after a visit to the dentist the previous day and only had a hazy memory of incidents that morning.

Jane Waugh, mitigating, said he has no previous convictions and hopes to find work in the near future.

Judge Christopher Prince said despite being “deeply cynical” over the defendant’s painkiller explanation, he could avoid an immediate prison sentence due to his lack of previous convictions.

He imposed an eight month prison sentence, suspended for two years, but with an order to perform 150-hours’ unpaid work.

Linn must also observe a three-month, 7pm - 6am, home curfew.