Addict in carjacking gets 10-year jail term

A drug-addict burglar who subjected a mother and her four-year-old daughter to a terrifying carjacking ordeal as they travelled to school has been jailed for 10 years.

The mother, who cannot be named, was driving along Bradford Road, Cleckheaton, last September when Scott Brown jumped into the backseat of her VW Polo and brandished a syringe towards the child who was in a car-seat.

Brown, 33, of Rede Avenue, Fleetwood, in Lancashire, told the petrified woman: “I’ve got a needle. I don’t want to hurt your daughter. I just want you to drive.”

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Prosecutor Elyas Patel told Bradford Crown Court yesterday two other female drivers, who were caught in the queuing traffic, got out of their cars and approached the Polo and one saw the mother shaking uncontrollably.

Brown told one concerned motorist he was her brother, but the woman said she would follow the car and advised the mother to pull over when she could.

As the mother turned into Snelsins Road, Brown said he was unclipping the girl from her child seat and when she pulled in about three-quarters of a mile later he told her to get out with her daughter. She did so, and Brown then drove off at speed.

About three hours later a police officer in Lincolnshire saw the Polo being driven along the A17. Brown drove off but was arrested after abandoning the car and being caught by a police dog.

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The court heard the child’s mother had suffered panic attacks, nightmares and flashbacks, while her daughter had also suffered nightmares.

Brown, who had travelled to Huddersfield to buy drugs, pleaded guilty to robbery and kidnapping in relation to the carjacking which took place just a week after his release from a four-year prison term for burglary.

Before the carjacking Brown had broken into a house.

Neil Murphy, for Brown, said his client wanted to apologise.

Recorder Jeremy Barnett jailed Brown for four years on the burglary, which he admitted, with an additional six years for the robbery and kidnapping matters.