Crooked mechanic was '˜fence for motorbikes stolen in Leeds

Leeds Crown Court heard complete bikes along with engines and other parts were discovered when police armed with a search warrant raided 27-year-old Kirk Ruhsfirth’s home in Fairfield Hill, Bramley.

Prosecutor, Caroline Abraham, said police found a stolen £3,000 Yamaha motorbike on a false number plate durind the raid at Rushforth’s home on September 4 last year.

They also found a engine from a £1,400 motorbike stolen in Leeds in May 2015 and an engine from a £4,000 motorbike stolen in Leeds in July 2016. The total loss to the owners of stolen bikes, engines and parts was £13,898.

Rushfirth, who admitted five charges of handling stolen goods. has four previous convictions for six offences including theft and handling stolen goods.

The court was told Ruhsfirth lives with his partner and they have a total of seven children between them.

Mitigating, Ian Cook, said: “He was unemployed. He was seeking to make a few extra pounds. He is disappointed that he has let his partner down.”

Jailing Rushfirth for two-years-and-four-months, Recorder Simon Eckersely said: “You must have been known to be somebody who would readily and willingly handle valuable stolen items.

“People steal and commit burglaries because of the existence of people like you, fences as they used to be known.”