Lincs: Man is jailed after a series of attempted car jackings on the A1

Thomas Kowbas approached a series of vehicles parked up alongside the road threatening the drivers with a baseball bat.

Siward James-Moore, prosecuting, said Kowbas struck first at a lay by at Colsterworth, near Grantham, when he tried to enter a parked Range Rover.

The woman driver had pulled over to send an email and was left in shock when Kowbas tried to open her car door and demanded she get out of the vehicle.

The driver questioned what he was doing and then managed to drive off. She went straight to Grantham Police Station to report the incident.

Kowbas continued on his journey north and parked in a second lay by where he approached a driver who was working on his lap top.

Mr James-Moore said: “The man suddenly became aware of a knock on his car window.”

“He looked up and saw the defendant holding a baseball bat. He couldn’t hear what the defendant was saying but thought that he was about to hit the car.”

Kowbas drove off heading north again and stopped off at a third lay by where he approached an estate car again armed with the baseball bat. He then swung the bat at the car before getting back into his works van and driving off.

He was arrested in Notts after police were given the registration number of his Anglian Water works van by one of his victims.

Kowbas, 27, of Burrowmoor Road, March, Cambs, admitted three offences of attempted robbery on the afternoon of 12th June.

Saleem Khan, defending, said Kowbas appeared to have had some form of breakdown on the afternoon when he committed the offences.

He said Kowbas had problems with his relationship and had amassed significant debts.

Recorder Timothy Spencer QC , passing sentence, told Kowbas: “You appear to have been overcome by some sort of madness.”

“All these things seem to have combined to bring about this breakdown.”

“These offences are too serious for me to do anything else. I have to lock you up.”