Kingsbridge Motor Sales, Mar 2021Kingsbridge Motor Sales, Mar 2021

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Used car dealer and colleague staked out business after knifewoman vandalised cars two nights in a row

  • Two cars were targeted on consecutive nights at Kingsbridge Motor Sales in Newbury
  • Owner and employee camped out to catch the culprit
  • Woman admitted causing criminal damage and unlawful possession of knife
  • Court is told she had serious mental health issues

Time 10:48 am, March 6, 2023

A used car dealer and his colleague lay in wait to ambush a person who had attacked two vehicles.

Jay Wild, who owns Kingsbridge Motor Sales in Newbury, and employee Zach Greening-Steer took the bold action after a Ford Fiesta was vandalised on August 30 and a Nissan Juke was targeted the next day.

The total cost of the damage caused at the Kingsbridge Road dealership was put at £1,450.


The duo camped out overnight there and managed to capture Jeanette North, who was carrying a knife. They then called the police, according to Newbury Today.

Appearing before Reading JPs, North, of Kingsbridge Road, pleaded guilty to two charges of causing criminal damage.

The 25-year-old also pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing a kitchen knife without lawful excuse.


In mitigation, Chris Albin told the magistrates the offences were a result of North’s state of mind, following a friend committing suicide in February 2022.

He was also quoted as saying: ‘Miss North already had mental health issues but went rapidly downhill after that.’

Albin added that North received heavy medication for epileptic seizures as well.

‘She had seizures and her whole mental health just plummeted after the loss of her friend. She doesn’t actually remember going out with the knife,’ he said.

‘She says she would have carried it for her own safety because she has a fear of being attacked.’

District judge Samuel Goozee gave North unconditional bail pending pre-sentence reports but warned her that she could be facing a prison sentence.

North will be back before the court for sentencing on Friday, March 17.

Image via Google Street View


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John Bowman's avatar

John has been with Car Dealer since 2013 after spending 25 years in the newspaper industry as a reporter then a sub-editor/assistant chief sub-editor on regional and national titles. John is chief sub-editor in the editorial department, working on Car Dealer, as well as handling social media.



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