Anger as 'one-man crimewave' Tony Blair has sentence cut

Mar 31 2009 by Neil Mckay, The Journal

NEIGHBOURS of the victims of “one-man crimewave” Tony Blair reacted with fury yesterday to news that his prison sentence had been cut.

Blair, 22, was jailed for eight-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to stealing diesel from East House Farm, Bishop Middleham, County Durham, last June.

Rosemary Dove, 68, collapsed and died after dialling 999 while her husband Frank, sons and grandson chased Blair.

When Blair, of Leeholme Road, Leeholme, near Bishop Auckland, fled the scene in a stolen car he hit one of the couple’s sons, James, badly injuring him.

After Blair was sentenced last December Det Chief Insp Paul Harker, of Durham Police, described him as a “one-man crimewave”.

Yesterday after Blair’s sentence had been cut by a year DCI Harker said: “We have to accept the ruling of the Court of Appeal, but Blair’s sentence still reflects the seriousness of the offences.”

He added: “My thoughts remain with the Dove family. Their emotions are still raw, they are an honest, hardworking decent family who have chosen to maintain a dignified silence.”

Blair admitted theft of a motor vehicle and diesel and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to resist arrest at Teesside Crown Court.

He also admitted further counts of vehicle taking and handling stolen vehicles and was jailed for a total of eight and a half years. Fifteen further vehicle theft counts were taken into consideration.

His barrister, Chris Baker, appeared before Mr Justice Keith and Mr Justice Bean, sitting at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, and argued that the overall sentence was too long.

Mr Justice Bean told the court that Blair – who has a “considerable” criminal record – stole a £17,500 Mitsubishi from an industrial estate in June last year.

Two days later, he raided the farm of Frank Dove, in Bishop Middleham, County Durham, for red diesel, leaving the door to the store open.