Cheshire: Car wash worker crashed rare vehicle cherished by owner

Omid Abas unlawfully took the car from the site and crashed it while ‘trying to avoid a mouse’ in the road.

The court heard how the car’s owner was ‘devoted’ to it and spent a lot of time maintaining it as his ‘prized possession’.

The 41-year-old defendant was charged with aggravated vehicle taking and damage, driving without a licence and driving without insurance and was sentenced at Warrington Magistrates’ Court.

Simon Green, prosecuting, explained how the incident occurred on March 13 this year, with the victim leaving his car at a car wash on Chester Road in Runcorn some days prior.

The car itself was a rare classic – a Mercedes 500E, which was built in 1992.

He was informed by the police that his car had been involved in a road traffic collision on Clifton Road in the town.

The damage to his 30-year-old vintage vehicle was described as ‘significant’, not only to the bodywork, but to the wheel, which was ‘almost horizontal’ to the ground.

Abas was found lying down next to the car, and while in the hospital, he confirmed that the car did not belong to him, while he also told police he had swerved to avoid a mouse in the road.

Subsequent police checks revealed that Abas did not hold a driving licence at the time.

The car belonged to a businessman who owns the land where the car wash is based, with the court hearing that there was no consent for driving of the vehicle except on the car wash forecourt.

In an impact statement, the victim described the car as a ‘cherished and prized possession’, to which he devoted a lot of effort into keeping it in pristine condition.

When he learnt of the damage he was ‘incredibly upset’, and as a result he is ‘incredibly cautious’ about who he trusts with it.

Warrington Magistrates' Court (Image: Newsquest)

He must now devote time to look for another vehicle to obtain spare parts, which is a ‘very time consuming and difficult process’.

“I am worried the car will be a write-off, and I expect to pay around £5,000 of my own money, not insurance, to have the vehicle fully repaired,” he added.

In defence of his client, Peter Green referenced his guilty pleas and how he has no previous convictions, which is ‘one of his most powerful mitigations’.

“He has clearly shown a lot of remorse, and it is genuine remorse, and you do not always see that,” Mr Green said.

He added that the victim and defendant remain on ‘good terms’, and while he had been offered his job back, he decided not to accept and is currently working in Stockport.

Before sentencing, district judge Mark Hadfield said: “I simply do not accept that you thought you had consent to drive off the car wash site.

“Having taken the car unlawfully, you lost control and crashed it, causing significant damage.

“The vehicle was cherished by its owner, and it was probably valued by him more than the monetary value.

“For an offence of this type, the starting point is an immediate custodial sentence.

“Taking to account your previous good character, remorse which I accept is genuine, and your lack of previous convictions, the sentence I will pass can be suspended.

Abas, of Colborne Avenue in Stockport, was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months.

He must also complete 150 hours of unpaid work in and for the benefit of the community, was disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £213 covering court costs and a surcharge to fund victim services.

No payment of compensation was ordered by the court.