A Canonbury crook who used his stolen moped to do a series of phone thefts across Islington and Hackney was yesterday jailed.
Harry Wright, 21, of Canonbury Road, seriously injured his pillion passenger when he crashed the moped during a snatching rampage in November last year.
Police this morning said it was “pure luck” no innocent pedestrians were killed or injured.
Wood Green Crown Court heard that on November 4, Wright stole a Piaggio moped which had been parked on Southgate Grove Road, Hackney.
On November 13, Wright rode the moped through Islington and Hackney targeting morning rush hour commuters. The court was played CCTV footage of Wright narrowly missing several pedestrians while riding on the pavement.
Detectives were able to identify three victims of snatches in Upper Street, Essex Road and Kingsland Road.
Shortly after a final unsuccessful theft in Kingsland Road, the moped went through a “no entry” junction in Tottenham Road and into the path of oncoming vehicles.
Wright was captured on CCTV riding along the pavement while going the wrong way down the residential street. Several witnesses estimated the speed of the moped was between 40 and 50mph.
Moments later, after re-joining the road, the moped crashed head-on into the front of a BMW. Wright was detained by police officers who found a hunting knife tucked into his waistband.
Wright’s 18-year-old pillion was taken to hospital in a critical condition. He continues to receive medical treatment.
At the same court on December 13, Wright pleaded guilty to three theft offences, possession of a bladed article, possession of class A and B drugs and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
As well as his seven-year sentence yesterday, he was also given a five-year driving ban upon release.
Det Cons Ben Kahane, from Hackney Police, said: “Harry Wright almost killed his friend for the sake of a stealing a few mobile phones worth a couple of hundred pounds. In the words of the judge, Wright has ‘destroyed the victim’s life’.
“Given the deliberate dangerousness of his driving, it was pure luck that he didn’t hurt or kill any innocent pedestrians.
“This case is a reminder to those committing moped-enabled crime, that you take your risk your own life and that of passengers and the public by undertaking such reckless criminality.”
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