A man who forced a woman out of her car and then drove it out of a car park in St Albans, forcing other motorists out of his way, has been given a 32-month jail sentence.
Terry Hutley was said to have been in the middle of a psychotic episode after he had stopped taking his medication for schizophrenia.
When he was arrested the next day he spat in for face of a police officer.
On Thursday, August 19, when he appeared at St Albans Crown Court via a video link from Doncaster Prison, he was given the jail term to run alongside the three-year jail term he is presently serving.
The court was told it was on the evening of November 6, 2019 when Hutley was spotted shoplifting in the Marks and Spencer store on St Peter’s Street in St Albans city centre.
He used a bar and a fire extinguisher to threaten staff before fleeing from the shop and made his way to the nearby Maltings Car Park.
On one of the levels a woman was sitting in her Volkswagen Polo having just left her office.
As she was reversing out from the parking bay, Hutley appeared and struck the side of the vehicle and screamed at her to get out.
Once she was outside the car he demanded she drop the keys yelling at her: “Get the f… away”
The woman ran back to her office in a distressed state and Hutley then jumped behind the wheel of the car and drove out of the car park before making his way at speed through the city centre
The court heard he forced traffic to veer out of his way, undertook other cars and when he came across a queue of cars, drove on the pavement for some two hundred yards past a row of shop fronts.
He was arrested the next day and spat in the face of a police officer.
The court heard because if his mental condition he couldn’t be interviewed for some months.
Recorder Stan Reiz QC hearing the case was told the woman who had been forced out of her car had been left extremely frightened by the incident.
The court heard that in 2020 Hurley had appeared at Sheffield crown court where he was given a three-year jail sentence for offences including damaging g property assault of an emergency worker and burglary.
In court on Thursday Hutley appeared for sentence having admitted robbery, having an offensive weapon, affray, theft dangerous driving and assault on an emergency worker.
The court was told that in prison Hutley was taking his medication and was making good progress, so much so that he had achieved “enhanced prisoner” status.
Passing sentence Recorder Reiz told Hutley the 32-month sentence would run concurrently with the three year sentence he is now serving.
Hutley was also banned from driving for 52 months and told he must take an extended diving test before he gets behind the wheel of a car again.
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