Railway workers jailed for stealing £1.5m worth of track to sell for
scrap

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/903975-r...sell-for-scrap

Five rail workers were jailed for their roles in stealing track and
other materials worth up to £1.5million.

The group took part in ‘industrial scale’ thefts from Network Rail,
diverting lorry loads of used rails to unauthorised scrapyards.

They targeted projects including an upgrade of the West Coast main
line in the Rugby area and Manchester Metrolink.

The offences first came to light when 208 tonnes of rail was found to
have been removed.

Det Sgt Chris Hearn said rail users were deprived of ‘valuable finance
that could have gone towards maintenance and improvements’.

John Burtenshaw, 53, of Stoke Hammond, Buckinghamshire, was jailed for
two years and nine months, while Terence Doherty, 48, of Warrington,
got a term of two years and six months. Stuart Amphlett, 33, of
Birmingham, Paul Tandon, 47, of Great Barr, West Midlands, received 18
months. Neil Jones, 41, of Darlaston, West Midlands, got 21 months.

Nicky Halloran, 27, of West Bromwich, and Roy Skinner, 43, of Harwich,
Essex, were given suspended terms of 12 and nine months respectively.

All defendants apart from Jones admitted conspiracy to steal.