Scavenger addict burgled flat on his own street

8:20am Tuesday 26th August 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

A SCAVENGING drug addict who broke into a flat burgled less than 24 hours earlier has escaped a jail sentence.

Lee Warren, aged 36, of Secker Avenue in Latchford, appeared at Warrington Crown Court on Monday, after he admitted burgling a flat on his street.

The court heard how the owner of the ground floor flat had returned home at the Easter weekend to find a window smashed and a large quantity of possessions stolen.

Joanne Parsons, prosecuting, said: “He called the police but they did not come around straight away. He went to sleep in the living room and woke to find the defendant in his hallway.

“He said he was a drug addict and had come to rob him.”

Warren, whose blood was found on the window, admitted stealing CDs and DVDs belonging to the owner of the flat but denied breaking into the flat initially.

Miss Parsons added: “Because the window was not checked after the first burglary we can only say his blood was there after the second burglary.”

Simon Leong, defending, said Warren was an alcoholic and a heroin addict.

He added: “This was a scavenger attempt rather than a sophisticated burglary. This was very opportunistic.”

Warren has previous convictions dating back to the late 1980s for offences including a breach of public order, possessing a weapon, interfering with a vehicle, shoplifting and dishonesty.

Judge Stephen Clarke handed Warren a 12-month supervised community order and a 12-month drug rehabilitation order.

He said: “You have a long history of alcohol and drug abuse. This offence is a typical one for someone in your position.

“It must have been alarming for the man to find you in his house scavenging.”