A man handled stolen goods including a car taken in Bolton as he tried to get money to feed his drug habit.

An Audi A6 worth £30,000 was taken from a property on Middle Turn, Edgworth in February 2021.

Bolton Crown Court heard Paul Roberts was found to be with the vehicle.

The car was tracked and found to be at a golf club.

Police officers watched and saw Roberts get inside.

He was pursued and discarded two registration plates along the way.

He was found to be in possession of two keys, which were for cars stolen the same night in Chorley and Wigan.

Two cars were later stolen in Warrington in June of that year.

One of them, an Audi S6, was seen in a car park on Buxton Road, Stockport.

Amanda Johnson, prosecuting, said: “The Audi S6 was in a secure car park.

“Police conducted AMPR checks which showed the Audi and a Seat Ibiza were taken there in conduit.

“The footage showed the defendant exit the diver’s side of the Audi.”

Roberts was arrested two months later.

The 37-year-old appeared in court to be sentenced after admitting four counts of handling stolen goods.

He had originally been charged with three burglaries in relation to the offences in February 2021, however prosecutors later accepted his plea to the charge of handling stolen goods.

The court heard he had 15 previous convictions and had been involved in handling stolen goods in 2004, 2006 and in a separate incident in 2021.

Read more: Car thefts to be raised with police 

Read more: Stolen car found in Horwich 

Read more: Spark in car thefts liked to spare parts 

Oliver Saddington, defending, said he had remained out trouble from 2014 until 2021.

He said: “There is clearly a period of time when he was able to stay out of trouble.

“He puts that down to steeling down with somebody.

“He was involved in class A Drugs and unable to finance it in any other way.”

Judge Tom Gilbart: “You have a history of substance abuse.

“You addiction led to you becoming involved in criminality to pay for drugs.

“Burglaries and the harms associated happen because of people who are prepared to dispose of the stolen vehicles.”

He jailed him for a total of 44 months.