A British man dubbed “the Easter bunny” by police has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for stealing 200,000 chocolate eggs.
In February, 32-year-old Joby Pool stole more than $59,200 worth of Cadbury Creme Eggs, after breaking into an industrial unit.
Pool was arrested shortly after he used a grinder to break through a gate at an industrial park in Telford, central England. He then used a stolen truck to tow away a trailer loaded with 200,000 Cadbury Creme Eggs and other chocolate goods.
West Mercia Police tweeted, officers stopped a vehicle “presumably purporting to be the Easter bunny” on a highway and arrested a man on suspicion of theft.
In an earlier Court hearing, Pool’s then-solicitor John McMillan stated told the Court: “He stopped the vehicle when he realised, he was being followed. He realised that the game was up – he realised the police were behind him and pulled in when it was safe to do so”.
Lawful Arrests in New South Wales
Police can arrest you with or without a warrant, provided that when arresting without a warrant, the officers comply with certain safeguards. These safeguards are outlined in section 99 of the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW) (‘LEPRA’).
A police officer is allowed to lawfully arrest you without a warrant according to section 99 of LEPRA if the officer suspects on reasonable grounds that you are committing or have committed an offence. The officer must have honestly believed that the arrest is reasonably necessary for any one or more of the reasons outlined in section 99(1)(b) LEPRA. The reasons outlined include stopping you from committing or repeating the offence, to protect the safety or welfare of any person (including you). An arrest can also be made to preserve evidence or prevent evidence from being fabricated, or to stop you from fleeing the scene.
A police officer can also arrest you without a warrant if directed to do so by another police officer. The other police officer is not to give such a direction unless the other officer satisfies the above section 99 requirements. Following an arrest, police can then lawfully detain you for purposes of investigating whether you committed the offence for which you were arrested.
If you find yourself in any legal trouble and need advice or representation for any criminal matters, please contact us on (02) 8080 7585 to arrange for a consultation with one of our expert defence lawyers.
