Cable thief left with red scars on face by 11000 volts
Published: 2013 February 17 00:38:46 (3873 Views)
Cable thief, Wayne Houfe, 44, from Darlington, Co. Durham was in hospital for a month after 11,000 volts caused third degree burns to his face and body in a bungled raid at a substation.
He suffered severe third degree burns to his face, hands and body, with red scars visible around his eyes when he appeared in court.
The blast left him in hospital for a more than a month and three months on he still needs skin grafts and operations.
It left 25 homes in the town without power and caused more than £1,000 worth of damage.
The dad-of-two was unable to sit in court because of his wounds as magistrates gave him 12 weeks' prison suspended for a year.
Houfe is receiving ongoing treatment at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary and is due to undergo a skin graft in the next four months, as well as an operation on his eye and his left thumb.
Hilary Payne, from the Probation Service, told the court: “He is in such discomfort just sitting down.
"He takes 31 tables every day and is in constant pain. This man has been punished severely because of his actions.
"The result is with him constantly now.”
Glynn Wales, chairman of the bench in Darlington, said: “These are serious matters.
"You are a standard example of the folly of the activities; you are going to carry those scars forever.”
Speaking after the case, Det Sgt Sean Jackson of Durham Police said Houfe was lucky to escape with his life.
He added: “The injuries that he sustained hopefully will serve as a lesson to him and hopefully anyone else who will be foolish enough to interfere with substations.”
Roderick Stuart of Northern Powergrid, which owns the substation, said cable theft costs the company around £8million every year.
He added: “The cables are carrying thousands of volts and if you cut through them you are very lucky to survive.
“It is a reckless act that not only endangers lives but disrupts the power supply to homes.”
- Mirror
He suffered severe third degree burns to his face, hands and body, with red scars visible around his eyes when he appeared in court.
The blast left him in hospital for a more than a month and three months on he still needs skin grafts and operations.
It left 25 homes in the town without power and caused more than £1,000 worth of damage.
The dad-of-two was unable to sit in court because of his wounds as magistrates gave him 12 weeks' prison suspended for a year.
Houfe is receiving ongoing treatment at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary and is due to undergo a skin graft in the next four months, as well as an operation on his eye and his left thumb.
Hilary Payne, from the Probation Service, told the court: “He is in such discomfort just sitting down.
"He takes 31 tables every day and is in constant pain. This man has been punished severely because of his actions.
"The result is with him constantly now.”
Glynn Wales, chairman of the bench in Darlington, said: “These are serious matters.
"You are a standard example of the folly of the activities; you are going to carry those scars forever.”
Speaking after the case, Det Sgt Sean Jackson of Durham Police said Houfe was lucky to escape with his life.
He added: “The injuries that he sustained hopefully will serve as a lesson to him and hopefully anyone else who will be foolish enough to interfere with substations.”
Roderick Stuart of Northern Powergrid, which owns the substation, said cable theft costs the company around £8million every year.
He added: “The cables are carrying thousands of volts and if you cut through them you are very lucky to survive.
“It is a reckless act that not only endangers lives but disrupts the power supply to homes.”
- Mirror
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