The nurse had allowed Jack Leatherbarrow into her home after he crashed a Mercedes into a wall, but he pounced on the opportunity to steal her Land Rover
21:03, 12 Mar 2026Updated 21:03, 12 Mar 2026
Jack Leatherbarrow(Image: Facebook)
A mum said she will “no longer offer help to strangers in need” after a man who she allowed into her home as she called him an ambulance pounced on the opportunity to steal her Land Rover. Jack Leatherbarrow stole an elderly couple’s Mercedes, struck one of the pensioners with their car, smashed into a wall, burgled a house and pinched a nurse’s 4×4 before also crashing this vehicle.
The dad embarked upon his cocaine and booze fuelled rampage after being chased out of a convenience store, having stolen two bottles of wine. Despite having no previous brushes with the law, his “simply bizarre” crime spree left the woman hit by the Merc with “horrific” injuries before he “betrayed the kindness” of a Good Samaritan who came to his then ordered a stranger to give him a lift to Tesco.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Thursday, that Leatherbarrow entered One Stop on Liverpool Road in Ainsdale on February 2 this year and shoplifted two bottles of wine. The 27-year-old, of Golf Road in Formby, then left the store and jumped over a wall into the grounds of the neighbouring property of 67-year-old Deborah Lally.
Olivia Randell, prosecuting, described how Leatherbarrow thereafter entered the house via the open front door while being chased by a shop employee. Mrs Lally’s husband, who had been outside in his Mercedes, ran into the address as a result, leaving the car keys in the ignition.
Leatherbarrow was said to have been “flailing his arms” while still clutching the bottles of wine and “talking incoherently” before he left the couple’s home and entered the vehicle, locking the doors. Mrs Lally followed him to the side of the car, “shouting at the defendant to get out” while her partner stood with his hands on the bonnet.
While he jumped out of the way as Leatherbarrow then began to drive off, she was clipped by the wing mirror and fell to the floor, banging the left hand side of her face on the pavement. She was left with injuries to her face, chin, wrists and knees as a result, with photographs having shown bruising and grazes across her body, as well as a nasty, bleeding wound to her left cheek.
Mrs Lally said in a statement which was read to the court on her behalf: “It occurred over a few minutes, but the whole incident will live with me for a long time. The after effects on me have been awful. My sleeping pattern is totally disrupted and I’ve lost my appetite. I feel very anxious now.
“I’m very nervous if someone calls unexpectedly to our door. I’ve lived in my property for 10 years and always felt safe. Now that’s changed, and I want to move from here. The impact of this incident has been devastating, and it will take some time to get over it.”
Leatherbarrow subsequently drove the stolen vehicle around seven miles to Bye Lane in Downholland, crashing into the stone wall of a farmhouse and missing a child’s trampoline by a matter of metres. Having exited the car, he then approached the nearby home of Helena Coyne on Broad Lane.
While the nurse allowed him into her address in order to call an ambulance due to his visible injuries, Leatherbarrow instead took the keys to her Land Rover while her back was turned and drove off in the 4×4. This vehicle was then also crashed into a field on Moss Lane.
Ms Coyne in her own statement: “I have only ever wanted to help people. When the defendant pleaded for help after the car accident, I was willing to help a stranger who I thought was in need.
“Little did I know that any injuries he had sustained were as a result of his own criminal behaviour. He has completely changed my outlook. I will no longer offer help to strangers in need.
“In the four weeks since he followed me into my home, which I share with husband and five-year-old daughter, the emotional toll has been overwhelming. I’m constantly replaying that day in my head.
“I no longer want to socialise. The anxiety that I could bump into the man who did this is too much. I no longer want to stay in my home. It’s a constant reminder of being taken advantage of and robbed.
“Safety feels a million miles away. When my husband can’t be at home with us, I lie to my five-year-old daughter about why we never stay at home alone anymore and why we no longer have our own car.”
Steven Gravener, the homeowner whose wall was damaged in the first crash, meanwhile told the court: “My children’s trampoline was metres away from where the car crashed. I’m very worried that something like this might happen again.”
Leatherbarrow went on to jump into the back seat of another car when the driver stopped to check on his welfare and asked to be taken to Tesco. He remained in the vehicle upon arrival at the supermarket, at which stage the motorist called the police.
Officers who attended the scene found Leatherbarrow “appearing to be under the influence of something”, with dried blood around his nose and his “eyes flickering and speech slurred”, having been “unsteady on his feet and staring blankly”. He later refused to comply with drug tests in custody, stating that he “wouldn’t give blood unless he could speak to his solicitor”.
Leatherbarrow has no previous convictions. Julian Nutter, defending, said on his behalf: “It is not mitigation but, by way background, you can see that, early on in the incident, when he was in the One Stop shop, he complained that he was not well. It is clear from the pre-sentence report that there have been serious mental health issues, and these are rooted in a horrible experience he suffered earlier in his life.
“He has the belief that he has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, but he has no diagnosis. There was obviously something along lines of a psychotic issue occurring on that day. The issue we have is that there is self induced intoxication with drink and drugs underlying that. It gives an explanation, if not mitigation.
“As a result of this and as a result of his shame, he has sought treatment. He has done everything he can to get committed to an establishment to try out and resolve his drug and alcohol dependency. He looks as dry as a bone now.
“The background is extraordinary, for somebody of previous positive good character. This is somebody who has got a good job. He has got a supportive, caring family, a large number of whom are here today. This is a wholly exceptional blip in his life. Through me, he apologises for the misery, pain and suffering that has been caused. That is an important apology.
“He is not a risk or danger to the public. This is not a case of assault occasioning actual bodily harm where he was using the vehicle as a weapon but, rather, in his state, he had missed that she was in line for the mirror, and it is probably a recklessness case.
“There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. He has taken the first step to get himself off cocaine and alcohol. Through me, he wishes to give the court and his victims the assurance that he will never ever get himself involved with those substances again.
“He has come here with his bag, expecting the worst. To send him off into custody now, as at first sight he may deserve, would be to destroy the life that he has built for himself and render him below the bottom rung of the ladder. That would be a waste for the community at large and would not put in place the sort of support that would build upon the remorse and the efforts that he has made.”
Leatherbarrow admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm, burglary, aggravated vehicle taking, criminal damage, driving without insurance and failing to provide a specimen for analysis. Appearing suited in the dock, he was handed a two-year imprisonment suspended for two years with 100 hours of unpaid work, a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to XX days, a nine-month drug rehabilitation requirement and a 120-day alcohol abstinence requirement.
Sentencing, Recorder Nicholas Flanagan said: “You were clearly under the influence of substances and, I have no doubt, alcohol when you conducted this spree of offending, which has caused several people significant harm and distress. Mr Lally jumped out his car, as anyone would to help his wife.
“You then ran into his Mercedes and drove it, clearly, dangerously. In doing so, you struck Ms Lally. You caused her to fall onto the floor. I have seen the horrific injuries that you caused.
“You managed to make your escape. A member of the public, out of the goodness of her heart, came to your aid. You betrayed her kindness by stealing her car before crashing that one as well. I accept that mental health must have played a significant role in your offending. It is uncharacteristic and simply bizarre that you find yourself in this position.
“Ms Lally had severe bruising all over her body. It has severally affected her mental health. It has had a devastating impact on her. Ms Coyne describes an overwhelming emotional toll. She no longer feels safe at home with her young daughter.
“I accept that you have got previous good character. You do have mental health issues and problems with substance misuse, and this may have been part of a psychotic episode. I accept that you have difficulties with epilepsy and took medication.
“I am glad to read that you have voluntarily gone into rehabilitation. People speak very highly of you. You have a young daughter, and I accept that you have remorse.
“You were using your car as weapon, and the injuries have had a substantial impact on Ms Lally. The burglary offence, again, is serious. There was someone present in the property. I accept that it was impulsive and not planned.
“The impact of this criminal spree cannot be understated. Several innocent members of the public were distressed, injured and devastated by your actions. In a short period of time, you committed no fewer than six serious offences. While there are mental health issues in the background, the choices that you made to take illegal drugs played a significant part in your behaviour.
“In reality, as your advocate concedes, you deserve an immediate period of imprisonment. I have thought very carefully. I cannot ignore that you have voluntarily sought treatment for your addiction problems. I am just satisfied that you can be rehabilitated, and you have lived an otherwise law abiding life. I am just persuaded that this sentence can be suspended.”
Leatherbarrow was also handed a two-year driving ban and will be required to pass an extended retest before being allowed back on the roads. He was told to pay £1,000 in compensation to Mrs Lally, £500 to Ms Coyne, a further £500 to Mr Gravener and £20 to One Stop.
