Prolific criminal caught in Hertfordshire

7 April 2019, 07:22 | Updated: 7 April 2019, 07:28

A man has been sentenced to a total of 11 years and one month in prison after he committed a string of offences across Watford, Three Rivers, Surrey and Berkshire last year.

Paul Evans, aged 26, of Blunden Drive, Slough, appeared before St Albans Crown Court after pleading guilty to the following 12 offences:

• Burglary at a property in London Road, Slough, on August 19, 2018
• Handling stolen goods – namely an Audi A6 – in Watford between September 30 and October 8, 2018
• Theft of number plates from an Audi A4 on Malden Road in Watford on October 6, 2018
• Robbery of a taxi driver on Owens Way, Rickmansworth, on October 6, 2018, where the victim was assaulted and Tasered before having cash stolen
• Possession of a Taser on Owens Way, Rickmansworth on October 6, 2018
• Robbery of a taxi driver at knifepoint in Church Lane, Sarratt on October 7, 2018, where cash, bank cards and a mobile phone were taken
• Possession of a bladed article in Church Lane, Sarratt, on October 7, 2018
• Being carried in a motor vehicle that had been taken without the owner’s consent being an Audi A1 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, on October 25, 2018
• Making off without payment of fuel at BP Garage on Uxbridge Road, Mill End, on October 25, 2018
• Robbery of a taxi driver at knifepoint in Penrose Court, Egham, Surrey on October 26, 2018 where the victim had cash and a mobile phone stolen
• Possession of a bladed article in Penrose Court, Egham, Surrey, on October 26, 2018
• Theft of number plates from an Audi A1 in Tower Hill, Chipperfield, on November 3, 2018

Mr Evans was arrested after officers spotted him in Radlett Road, Watford, on November 12, 2018. He had been circulated as wanted and following a foot pursuit, was detained and arrested.

He was initially charged with three offences and remanded in custody. Further investigation was carried out and he was later charged with nine more offences.

Detective Constable Steve Mason, from the Three Rivers Local Crime Unit, said:

"Evans is a prolific offender and has consistently displayed complete disregard for decent, hard-working members of the society by ruthlessly targeting homes, businesses and individuals for his own personal gain. He has shown himself to be a risk to the public with his willingness to threaten innocent people in order to get what he wants.

I want today’s sentencing to serve as a warning to travelling criminals – Hertfordshire is not a weak target for you. If you choose to commit offences in our county, we will catch up with you."