Men who stole 10-tonne mobile home in Devon jailed

Two men who stole a 10-tonne mobile home, leaving its owner homeless, have been jailed.

The £30,000 home, which was 40ft (12m) long, was taken from a haulage yard in 2017 while it was being worked on.

Stewart Gregory, 43, from Surrey was jailed for 22 months. Darren Baseley, 47, from Devon, was sentenced to 20 months at Exeter Crown court.

The home, which has never been recovered, was owned by Sonia McColl - a campaigner for mobile home owners.

Sentencing, Recorder Benjamin Newton said: "You stole her home and caused her emotional distress, fear and loss of confidence.

"It was of substantial value to her, the effect on her has been devastating."

Fairground worker Gregory, of Aldershot Road, Normandy, Surrey, was found guilty of theft by a jury in June.

Baseley, of Henrys Run, Cranbrook, near Exeter, had previously admitted theft.

Baseley was working at TS Haulage, based at Willand, near Cullompton, where the home was being worked on when it was stolen.

Sonia McColl, who has been given an OBE for her work advocating for mobile home owners, read an impact statement about the effect of the theft.

The 72-year-old explained the loss meant she was homeless for more than a year and left her "desperately alone, helpless and vulnerable".

She said: "Fear, loss, anger and stress have been my constant companions.

"When they stole my home, they stripped me of everything except my life.

"All that I have worked for was stolen from me."

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