HE TWICE went on the run to try to evade justice.

But today the final man charged with a notorious hijacking of a KitKat lorry on a North Yorkshire road was behind bars.

John Charles Moorcroft, 28, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to robbery.

He admitted he was one of three masked men who held up the trailer containing £70,000 worth of KitKats, Quality Street and mini-chocolate bars.

Today, one of the officers who helped to catch Moorcroft said he was relieved the case had finally been concluded.

The balaclava-wearing gang stopped the lorry on the A1041 Camblesforth to Selby road and threatened the terrified driver with a hammer before forcing him back into the cab and driving away.

The lorry driver, a 30-year-old man from York, was driving to the Nestl Rowntree factory, in Wigginton Road, when the attack happened at about 11pm on June 19, 2003.

He was left shaken after being dumped on the M62 in Cheshire hours later. Police later arrested two men, including Moorcroft, in a barn near Skelmersdale, Lancashire.

Moorcroft, of Chesterfield Drive, Liverpool, was sentenced to three years and nine months in jail by Judge Hamilton.

James Gibney, Tony Bradley and Tony Keeley, all from Merseyside, have already been jailed for a total of 15 years for their roles in the robbery.

Det Con Pete Masterman, of Selby CID, said: "We are very pleased that eventually it has been resolved.

"It was a very nasty crime with the driver suffering and it is pleasing at least for him that it has reached a conclusion.

"By the nature of his crime, he is not a very nice character and the streets are safer now he is behind bars. It is good that he has finally been punished for his involvement and we can put the case to bed."

Moorcroft was arrested on the night of the robbery, but was bailed and went on the run. He was eventually held again in late 2004, but was bailed for a second time and fled.

After the incident was featured on BBC's Crimewatch programme, he was found, arrested and charged.

Moorcroft had earlier pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated burglary, wounding with intent and perverting the course of justice.

He did not enter a plea to charges of kidnapping and taking a vehicle without consent, and both the charges were ordered to lie on file.

Updated: 08:29 Monday, May 29, 2006