A PERSISTENT burglar found in a house attic where the occupier had just moved in that day claimed he was there to sleep, not to steal.
But Jordan Davidson, 21, of Chapel Street in Wrexham, later admitted burglary and was jailed for 32 months.
Mold Crown Court heard he had a number of previous convictions for burglary which made him a ‘three striker’, eligible for a three-year statutory minimum sentence.
But Judge Niclas Parry used his discretion to reduce the sentence in view of his guilty plea and other factors.
Davidson had not been taking his medication at the time and told police: “I hear voices. I do mad things, impulsively. If I had taken my medication then it would not have happened.”
The court was told that despite his young age he had five convictions for burglary and when caught again on September 14, he was on licence following his release from a prison sentence for an earlier break-in.
Judge Parry told him: “This is the sixth time that you have broken into someone’s home.
“You have done it three times in the last two years.
“You had only been released from a sentence for doing exactly the same thing.
“The public and home owners need protection from you.”
But he took into account his guilty pleas, that there was no loss and the property was unoccupied at the time.
Emmalyne Downing, prosecuting, said a young woman had just moved into the shared property that day.
She went out that evening and a neighbour who heard glass smashing saw a figure inside and called the police.
Officers arrived and searched the property.
They could not find him initially but then they saw dirty hand and footmarks on the wall below the attic entrance.
They called up into the attic, told him to come down and he did so.
Damage valued at £1,000 had been caused and the young woman victim had been left shocked. She had been looking forward to a new life in the property but was now frightened to live there.
Stephen Edwards, defending, said his client had come from a background of care and had mental health problems. He had not been taking his medication because it had been stolen from the flat where he had been placed as emergency accommodation.
But there had now been a fresh diagnosis and he was improved on new medication. He now had a much better approach to life.