A SUSPICIOUS cyclist seen riding along a country road in north Cumbria at 3am was on a bicycle that he had just stolen during a burglary.

But a lawyer representing 39-year-old Steven Queen said that his decision to commit the offence that night was linked to his poor mental health - and in particular the deaths of his mother and his uncle.

At Carlisle’s Rickergate court, Queen, of Atkinson Crescent, Harraby, admitted burglary and theft from a motor vehicle.

Peter Bardsley, prosecuting, said the offences came to light after police stopped the defendant at 3am after seeing him cycling along a rural road near to Southwaite.

When searched, they found he was carrying sunglasses and a fuel card. It was in the name of a local resident from nearby Beckstones Farm, said the prosecutor.

When questioned, Queen said he was out for "a bike ride" - but then claimed he was actually out “hunting” for rabbits - though he had no hunting gear with him. The officers then visited the farm where the owner of the fuel card lives.

Only then did the victim realise his sunglasses, fuel card and bike were missing, the latter having been taken from an outbuilding. The other items – the sunglasses and the fuel card – were from his Land Rover and VW Polo.

“The defendant was interviewed and said he'd been out rabbiting with another person, but he didn’t give their name. He said it was cold, and that was why he was wearing gloves and two pairs of trousers and two tops.

“Asked about the bicycle and whether he’d borrowed it from the house for his rabbiting, he answered ‘No comment’.” The defendant had a lengthy criminal record, added the prosecutor and was last before the court in June.

A probation worker who interviewed Queen said: “Mr Queen tells me that it had been the anniversary of his mother’s death, who passed away in 2018 very suddenly of cancer. This was exacerbated by his uncle passing away.

“He’d attended the funeral on August 14 and had been drinking heavily ever since.”

Queen told the officer that he was out “lamping” with his brother and another man but one of the dogs had run away and he went to look for it. He was using the bike to get home, he said.

The probation officer added that Queen expressed remorse.

His offending earlier in the year was committed while he was under the influence of Xanax, though he no longer used that drug. “At the moment, the problem continues to be alcohol and he still drinks, though not to excess.”

He was also on a reducing script for methadone, a heroin substitute.
Defence lawyer Kate Hunter said the probation officer’s report highlighted the role of the defendant’s mental health in his offending; and how the passing of his mother did appeared to have been a catalyst.

District Judge John Temperley said that while Queen’s record included dishonesty offences, there was only one attempted burglary, so he was prepared to see the burglary as “out of character.”

It was three years since he last had a community order.

The district judge imposed a 12-month order, which includes a 90-day tagged alcohol abstinence requirement, 20 days of rehabilitation, and a 12 week 8pm to 6am curfew. Queen must also pay £85 costs, and a £114 victim surcharge.

The stolen goods were all recovered.