A prolific car thief broke into someone's home and stole their company car which was never recovered. A judge said his behaviour had "the hallmarks of bullying".
Michael Ellaway, 38, took car keys from the home of Thomas Bush in Cardiff on July 10 shortly before 8am and took his Virgin Media-owned Ford Focus. At 10am he was seen at his home in Cowbridge Road East, in Canton, where he parked and told people it was his uncle's car.
A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court heard the defendant left at 5pm in the car with another man and returned on a bicycle without the vehicle. After the car was reported missing to police Ellaway was arrested and found in possession of two Valium tablets.
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During his police interview the defendant claimed he had gone to Mr Bush's home to buy drugs and denied being a trespasser. Ellaway later pleaded guilty to theft of a vehicle, possession of Class C drugs, and driving without a licence and insurance. The court was told he had 45 convictions for 145 offences including numerous car thefts.
In mitigation the court heard Ellaway experienced a "significant" amount of trauma in his childhood and suffered from ailments which resulted in him being hospitalised while on remand in prison. The defendant had spent the equivalent of a six-month sentence behind bars on remand.
Sentencing, Judge Richard Williams said he "took a dim view" of the case. He added: "You together with another person entered Thomas Bush's flat uninvited and as a result to his car keys which you used to steal his car. You were later seen driving it and were captured on CCTV. You were arrested later that day riding a bicycle. The car hasn't been recovered. This was group activity in which you took a leading role. Your conduct was intimidating and [the victim] was afraid to confront you."
Ellaway was sentenced to two years imprisonment. He was also disqualified from driving for two years.
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