by Hayley Robinson

Four men jailed for a total of more than 12 years for stealing high-value cars and parts have had their jail terms cut on appeal.

William Samuel, of Lime House Court, Murston, and Oliver King, of West Wood Road, Stockbury, were each sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison after admitting their roles in a three-month crime spree.

Samuel Scadeng, of Oak Close, Borden, was given two years and nine months, and Moses King, of Plum Tree Caravan Site, Plum Tree Road, Stockbury, got two-and-a-half years.

But last week, each of their sentences was reduced by judges sitting at London’s Criminal Appeal Court.

Oliver King and William Samuel’s were cut to three years, and Moses King and Scadeng’s to two years.

The men were originally sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court in November last year.

As was reported at the time, the court heard how vehicles worth an estimated £100,000 were taken between January and April 2011.

The offences involved the theft of five Land Rover Defenders, from Whitstable, Bromley, Aylesham, East Langdon, near Dover, and Tonbridge, as well as a Land Rover Discovery from the Kent County Showground at Detling, a Peugeot 307 from Bredhurst Trade Centre and a caravan from near Sittingbourne.

Handling offences involved parts, gas detectors from a burglary in Harrietsham, a fuel bowser from Borough Green and a go-kart from Newington.

Prosecutor Crispian Cartwright said the thefts were "relatively sophisticated" in that vehicles were not entered crudely.

He said: "The cars were broken into with the use of keys and implements the defendants may have had."

At the time of sentencing, Judge Charles Byers said a clear message had to go out that such offences would not be tolerated by the courts and those convicted would face "proper punishment".

But Mr Justice Irwin, Lord Justice Elias and Mr Justice Saunders cut the sentences after the men’s solicitors argued the length of time they had to serve was too harsh for their crimes.