Men from Co Antrim sentenced for shocking hijacking spree

Two men from Co Antrim have been sentenced to jail for what a Judge described as 'one of the worst cases of hijacking I have come across'. All the offences were committed on June 1, 2019 and involved numerous incidents of hijacking, attempted hijackings, and dangerous driving between Newcastle and Belfast.

Crime Spree Begins

The crime spree commenced at around 11.15am when the pair were observed driving out of a caravan park in Newcastle in a VW Golf registered to Collins, who was driving despite being disqualified. The series of events involved multiple hijackings, attempted hijackings, and violent altercations with motorists on the road.

Chaotic Episodes

Numerous incidents followed with vehicles being stolen, motorists assaulted, and dangerous driving leaving a trail of chaos and destruction along the way. The spree finally came to an end after a series of dramatic events and confrontations between the perpetrators and the victims.

Sentencing

In a court ruling, Declan Anthony Collins, 36, from Lisburn, was sentenced to four years for a total of nine charges while 37-year-old Sean Mateer from Crumlin had a sentence of three years and two months imposed for seven offences. The Judge instructed that their sentences would be divided equally between prison time and license.

Impact of the Crimes

Several motorists, including an 82-year-old man, were assaulted during the course of the offenses while some of the stolen vehicles were so badly damaged that they were written off. The heinous acts left a trail of fear and destruction in their wake, impacting innocent lives along the way.