Sentenced for string of rural thefts
11/07/2025
The group were involved in the theft of a number of horseboxes and other items
Four men have been sentenced for stealing horseboxes and other property from rural areas including offences in North Newington, Turweston, Westbury and Fenny Compton.
William Stokes Senior, 50, of Wokingham, received three-and-a-half years in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to steal and possessing criminal property. James Maughan, 63, of Wheatley, was jailed for two years and two months after admitting conspiracy to steal.
William Stokes Junior, 26, also of Wokingham, was handed a suspended sentence of a year and eight months, plus 240 hours of unpaid work. Ameet Saroay, 43, of Southall, London, was given a community order and 100 hours of unpaid work.
They were involved in the theft of multiple horseboxes between September and November 2021, transporting them to Wokingham where they were prepared for online sale, but the owners of the stolen items saw them being advertised.
During the investigation other stolen items were recovered, including a plant trailer and toilet block.
The defendants were all sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Thursday July 3.
The jury also unanimously found Sami Nafa, aged 32, of Brentford, London, guilty of one count of conspiracy to steal, but this was in his absence as he had fled the country. He is yet to be sentenced.
PC Daniel Smith, of the Rural Crime Taskforce, said: “For three years, we have been investigating these criminals who have been plaguing rural areas of the Thames Valley and other counties.
“I am delighted they have been brought to justice for their spree of rural criminality across the country, which has had a big impact on countryside landowners and others.
“We will never tolerate this offending and we will always work with our partners, both within and outside policing, to continue to make the Thames Valley a hostile area for rural crime.
“We are also appealing for help to find Sami Nafa, who is wanted for failing to appear at court having left the country. Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call 101 or make a report on our website, quoting reference number 43210527868.”
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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