Jail for man who stole tractor to ram into house in Middlesbrough

Nathan Blagg, of Addington Drive in Middlesbrough, deliberately crashed a red tractor and baler into the property on Priory Road at 1.35am on Saturday 9 May.

The 28-year-old had stolen the tractor from a farm in Castlelevington shortly after midnight and travelled at high speed along Acklam Road in the direction of the house.

While the property was unoccupied at the time, it caused significant structural damage with neighbouring properties required to evacuate for their safety.

Since this incident in May, officers have carried out a thorough investigation, and other associated, organised criminal activity under Operation Sentinel – working together with other regional partners including the Northeast Regional Organised Crime Unit to tackle serious and organised crime

On Friday 25 September Blagg appeared at Teesside Crown Court to be sentenced to seven years and two months plus two years on extended licence after pleading guilty to criminal damage with recklessness as to whether life would be endangered, aggravated vehicle taking and affray.

Police were alerted to calls from residents upon hearing a large noise as the tractor was imbedded into the front of the property.

Footage from the farm showed two men gaining access to the vehicle – worth around £90,000 – and moving it before heading away.

Blagg fled in a Land Rover that had been in convoy with the tractor as it made its way to Middlesbrough.

The Land Rover, which had been on cloned plates, was later found burnt out in South Bank.

Blagg was arrested when a stolen Jaguar he was driving crashed into a lamppost on Riverside Road. His phone was seized providing evidence that placed him at the farm and to other offences including an affray on Borough Road in Middlesbrough.

Detectives from Middlesbrough CID obtained and reviewed CCTV footage that showed the Land Rover driving around the area a few hours before the ramming.

Upon seizing and analysing Blagg’s mobile phone data put him in the area of the farm and the use of the flashlight.

It also showed internet searches for sentencing guidelines for criminal damage with intent to endanger life and news stories showing the tractor in the front of the house.

During the hearing, the court it is believed to have been over a feud involving Blagg.

T/Detective Chief Inspector Dan Cook, from Middlesbrough CID, said: “To steal a tractor from a farm, to then be driven at high speed towards Middlesbrough and rammed with extreme force into a house shows the lengths Blagg will go to instil fear and violence, all without a thought or care for residents and the wider public.

“While it is lucky no one was inside that house at the time, Blagg was not aware of this or if those inside neighbouring properties were home when the tractor was rammed.

“The danger and significant risk it posed to neighbouring properties meant occupants had to evacuate for their safety due to the structural damage caused. It also took a number of days before the tractor could be safely and securely removed however this is at a loss to the owner of the vehicle and the occupant.

“From the evidential material gathered, we were able to put Blagg at the farm through mobile data recovered during a separate investigation. Analysis of the device placed him at the location at that time and showed the use of a flashlight. Further examination identified use of his internet history to show his interest in the sentencing guidelines and media coverage of the tractor.

“This type of criminality is often linked to serious and organised crime. It maybe through disputes or tit-for-tat behaviour that leads to violence being orchestrated and the use of stolen and cloned plated vehicles.

“Our disruption of this criminality is ongoing, and we are working closely with our regional partners under Operation Sentinel to continue to tackle organised crime across Cleveland and try to prevent these crimes from happening in the first place.

"I would encourage anyone who has information to please come forward. You can do this by contacting us on 101 or visiting our website but if reticent to come forward please do call or visit Crimestoppers which can be done anonymously online or on 0800 555 111.”