A burglar who went on the run during his trial has been jailed for four years after being described as “a thoroughly dishonest man”.
Shane Boyton refused to come into court for his hearing at Lincoln Crown Court on Wednesday (August 10) and remained naked inside a police car outside the building while he was being sentenced.
The 37-year-old, of College Close, Holbeach, went on trial last month accused of two charges of burglary following raids on commercial premises in Lincolnshire and Essex.
Boyton denied the charges but went missing after the jury retired to consider their verdicts. He had been bailed to attend at hospital where he was due to receive the results of earlier tests but failed to return.
He was convicted in his absence and was subsequently arrested in South Lincolnshire.
Judge Michael Heath continued the hearing in the absence of Boyton and told the court: “He refused to get out of the vehicle that brought him to court. I am told he is naked in the police car and has refused to get out.”
During his trial, Boyton told the jury that he had been “going straight” since the birth of his daughter and denied he had anything to do with either burglary.
But the judge said: “That was a lie and part of a concerted effort to hoodwink the jury. He is a thoroughly dishonest man.”
The earlier jury was told that Boyton was involved in a raid on an industrial unit in Dagenham when a caravan was stolen. The second burglary took place in Burgh-le-Marsh, when £10,000 worth of confectionery was taken along with a pressure washer.
The offences both took place between June 11 and 15, 2015.
The court was told that Boyton had six previous convictions for non-domestic burglary.
James Gray, defending, said he attempted to speak to Boyton while the defendant was in the vehicle which brought him to court but his client refused to get out and asked to be sentenced in his absence.
Mr Gray said: “He would not speak to me”.
Boyton was jailed for four years for burglary and given a four-month consecutive sentence for breaching his bail by going missing from court.
