Mercedes-Benz technician involved in dismantling stolen cars for Lancashire drug gang

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【Summary】Mercedes-Benz technician William O'Neill, 26, became involved with a drug gang after developing a cocaine addiction. He was arrested for dismantling stolen cars, including a Range Rover, and using their parts to repair other vehicles. O'Neill's defense lawyer argued that he was forced into this role by drug dealers to pay off his debt. He pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods and received a suspended prison sentence, rehabilitation activities, and a curfew.

FutureCar Staff Aug 15, 2023 9:23 AM PT

Mercedes-Benz technician involved in dismantling stolen cars for Lancashire drug gang

A young Mercedes-Benz qualified technician named William O'Neill found himself involved in a dangerous situation after becoming addicted to cocaine. Seeking a way to pay off his drug debts, O'Neill resorted to dismantling high-value stolen cars for a drug gang.

In June 2020, police arrested O'Neill after tracing a stolen Range Rover to a rented industrial unit in Blackburn. It was there that they discovered him in the process of dismantling the expensive SUV. Additionally, officers found the remains of other high-value cars that had already been broken down.

Further investigation led the police to a farm near Blackburn, where O'Neill had been living in a caravan. At this location, they uncovered a stolen Mercedes, as well as a written-off Jaguar and Land Rover Discovery that were being repaired using parts from stolen vehicles.

As the year progressed, in 2021, officers noticed a stolen Audi in the garden of the house where O'Neill was then residing. This discovery added to the mounting evidence against him.

O'Neill's defense lawyer, Mark Stuart, explained that his client had completed an apprenticeship with Mercedes but had unfortunately developed an addiction to cocaine. When the drug dealers he owed money to realized his skills, they forced him to pay off his debt by dismantling cars.

Stuart emphasized that O'Neill was merely "a cog in a much bigger wheel" and played no part in stealing or selling the cars. Despite this, O'Neill pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods.

During the sentencing, Judge Stephen Davies acknowledged that there was no evidence to suggest that O'Neill had earned a substantial amount of money from his involvement in the illegal activity. As a result, O'Neill was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to participate in 15 days of rehabilitation activities and subjected to a three-month curfew.

In mitigation, Stuart highlighted that O'Neill had successfully overcome his drug addiction and had since settled down with his long-term partner and children following the offenses committed in 2020 and 2021.