A MAN who dealt swift justice to a bicycle thief was told he should not take the law into his own hands.
Judge Christopher Prince gave the warning to Carl Heath, 25, after he admitted delivering “a couple of blows” to a youth who had taken a 13-year-old girl’s bike.
Durham Crown Court heard the 16-year-old was suspected of taking the cycle after CCTV footage was examined of the incident, in Tow Law, on December 4, 2016.
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Paul Abrahams, prosecuting, said the youth was taken in a car to the location where he said he had dumped the bike, and it was recovered.
Before he was dropped off, Heath struck him twice and stole a vape device from him.
The bicycle thief, who went on to be given a youth order at the youth court for the theft, told police he was hit twice during the incident.
Heath, of High Street, Tow Law, was one of three local men accused of kidnap.
But, after he admitted new charges of assault by beating and theft, the prosecution decided not to proceed with the joint count of kidnap.
Judge Prince recorded formal ‘not guilty’ verdicts and the two co-accused were told they could leave the dock.
Sentencing Heath to a community order, with ten rehabilitation activity days, the judge told him: “I understand feelings may have been running high over the theft of a child’s bike, but you have to learn you can’t take the law into your own hands.”