Dean Brooks sentenced for charges related to assault, theft, drugs, and weapons

 

A 43-year-old man from Sadler Gardens in Bedworth has been sentenced to three years and 11 months in prison after being found guilty of charges related to drugs, theft, offensive weapons, and assault.

On Sunday 2 April 2023, at around 12am, the owner of a Ford Focus on Northbourne Drive arrived home to find it was missing.

They also found that several tools were missing (to a value of around £900) from their other vehicle, along with the keys for that vehicle. 

Elsewhere and a couple of hours earlier (10:33am on Bulkington Road in Bedworth), a Ford Focus was found crashed into the side of a house – the same car that was missing from Northbourne Drive.

The man whose house had been crashed into awoke to his neighbour restraining one Dean Brooks – 43, from Sadler Gardens in Bedworth.

Brooks was arrested shortly afterwards by attending police officers, who discovered two sets of car keys in his pocket matching the cars from Northbourne Drive.

Brooks, in the course of being arrested, shouted a series of racial slurs, although attending officers weren’t sure who precisely he was shouting them at.

He later said in interview that he had been drinking since the day before, and a search of Brooks turned up crack cocaine.

After being taken into custody it was believed that Brooks had taken an overdose, so he was transported to hospital.

While lying in the hospital bed, he kicked an officer in the head, leading to the officer feeling dizzy and resulting in a headache.

These events resulted in Brooks being charged with possession of crack cocaine, assaulting a police officer, aggravated vehicle taking, property damage of over £5,000, and handling stolen goods.

On 10 July 2023, a woman on Watitune Avenue in Weddington awoke at 6:15am to find that she, too, was now missing a car from her driveway – a Seat Tarraco.

Also missing from her house was a number of items of jewellery, alcohol, bank cards, and clothes – a total of £18,000 worth of items taken, not including the vehicle.

Later analysis of CCTV and smart doorbell footage from the nearby area showed two males trying the doors to cars, vans, and properties.

Over in Coventry at around midday, officers from West Midlands Police were out on patrol when they discovered a Seat Tarraco in a car park on Pandora Road with three males standing beside it – one of whom jumped into a car and fled the scene after seeing them approach.

The other two (including Brooks) got back into the car, with Brooks attempting to start the engine as the officers blocked them in. 

On confirmation that the car was stolen, Brooks and his associate were arrested.

Brooks was searched and the officers found multiple items of jewellery and clothing which were a match for missing items from Watitune Avenue.

He also had wraps of crack and heroin on his person, as well as a throwing star.

A later search of Brooks’ house on Sadler Gardens in Bedworth uncovered further items missing from Watitune Avenue.

Brooks later tried to claim in interview that he believed the car had been legally owned, and they had only taken a drive to Coventry to pick up a takeaway.

He also said he did not remember putting the throwing star in his pocket.

This incident resulted in charges of handling stolen goods, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, possession of cocaine, and possession of heroin.

Brooks was sentenced in Warwick Crown Court on 30 January 2024.

In addition to a prison sentence of three years and 11 months, Brooks is required to pay a victims’ surcharge of £228 and has been disqualified from driving for 30 months.

Investigating officer DC Gordon said “Brooks really did work very hard to earn every single minute of the 47 months of prison time he has been given by the courts.

“There’s a story in here somewhere about the level to which drugs like crack and heroin damage not only the lives of those who are addicted, but everyone unfortunate enough to come into contact with them.

“We are hoping that Brooks turns out to be the philosophical type and takes the time to assess where his life is and where he wants it to be in four years’ time.”