EIGHT men who carried out a series of thefts of hi-tech machinery from farms across rural Cheshire have pleaded guilty to 19 criminal offences.
The gang, seven of which are from Mid Cheshire, pleaded guilty to 15 charges of theft and four of handling stolen goods at Chester Crown Court yesterday, Tuesday, and will be sentenced in September.
They are: Paul Edwards, 26, of David Street, Castle; Ben Gee, 20, of Clifton Drive, Leftwich; Shaun Higgins, 39, of Braemar Avenue, Northwich; Peter Illidge, 27, of Warren Avenue, Lostock Gralam; Jamie Meredith, 22, of Rookery Rise, Winsford; Liam McGuigan, 19, of Hesketh Drive, Lostock Gralam and Christopher Smalley, 26, of Fernlea Road, Marston.
Andrew Devine, 24, of Meeanee Drive in Nantwich admitted the same 19 offences.
An initial charge of conspiracy to steal, levelled at all eight defendants, was not pursued by prosecutors, and will lie on file.
Illidge, McGuigan and Meredith were remanded in custody until their sentencing on September 18, while the rest were released on bail.
- Peter Illidge and Liam McGuigan will also be sentenced for an attempted burglary at the Delamere home of jailed loan shark Paul Nicholson on the same day, along with Anthony Lee Brown, 25, of Ashwood Close, Barnton and 34-year-old Matthew Tyrer, of Lime Avenue, Weaverham.
