Biker ordered to pay £20,000 in compensation after stealing two vintage motorcycles

Kevin Tattersall from Mabe Burnthouse, Penryn paid a deposit with counterfeit notes before stealing two historic bikes which he took back to his workshop to break up for spares.

He turned to crime after losing his job and trying to hide his unemployment from his family.

He will now have to sell almost all his available assets to pay compensation to the owners of the two bikes under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Tattersall, aged 48, of Trenoweth Terrace, received a 21 months suspended jail sentence in October 2013 when he admitted the theft of the two motorcycles at Exeter Crown Court.

He was brought back before Judge Phillip Wassall at the same court for a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act following a 19 month financial investigation.

The judge rubber stamped an agreement between the prosecution and defence that Tattersall’s benefit from crime was £20,000 and his available assets were £20,076.29.

Judge Wassall ordered him to pay the money within six months or serve a 12 month jail term. He also warned him that the case could be reopened if further claims or assets came to light.

Mr Jonathan Barnes, prosecuting, said there were outstanding issues relating to Tattersall’s assets which do not need to be resolved at this stage.

He said the money will be divided between the two sellers, who lost their motorcycles as a result of the dishonesty.

In the original case, the court heard how Tattersall stole the Triumph Bonnevilles by posing as a genuine buyer. He rode on the test drives but with the sellers following but turned off unexpectedly and gave them the slip.

He left a £500 deposit for a 1960 vintage bike with owner Daniel Everett from Exmouth which turned out to be counterfeit notes

In an identical theft he stole another Bonneville from a seller in Solihull who advertised it in a specialist magazine.

Miss Emily Pitts, defending, said Tattersall consented to the confiscation order.