A bungling would-be burglar was identified from blood left
at the scene after trying to break-in and steal from a jewellery shop.

Richard Lee Watson, 28, planned to smash the window of Richard Hughes Jewellers on Town Hill with bricks to pay off a drug debt, but was unable to break the reinforced glass and fled the scene.

But Watson was identified from DNA at the scene after a brick rebounded off the window and cut his hand, magistrates in Wrexham heard.

Justin Espie, prosecuting, told magistrates that CCTV footage showed Watson driving the wrong way down a one-way street on October 22 and parking directly outside the shop.

He had a number of bricks in his vehicle, and is seen on the footage to get out and repeatedly try to smash the window with significant force.

The glass withstood the impact but Watson caused £300 of damage.

Watson, of Bridge Street, Wrexham, who appeared from custody, admitted attempting to enter the shop with intent to steal, as well as failing to attend a previous hearing and breaching his post custodial supervision.

Stephen Edwards, defending, said Watson was not going to argue against the punishment of a prison term not exceeding 14 days for the breach, and told how Watson accepted he had lost touch with the probation service.

According to the probation report, Mr Edwards added there seemed to be a time when Watson went off the radar.

Since last autumn, Watson – who lives with his mother – had developed a cocaine habit and found himself owing money, the court heard

His mother received a number of visits from a “very aggressive and unpleasant person” who demanded the debt be paid and threatened her, her home and Watson.

Watson, who has lost his business due to drug use, was in a state of desperation. One evening after his mother was threatened he drove on the spur of the moment to the shop to throw a brick through the window and take whatever he could from the display to pay the debt.

As a result of Watson throwing the brick it rebounded, he sustained a cut to his hand and the DNA led police back to him.

There was limited damage, nothing was stolen and there was no confrontation, magistrates heard – and the lack of sophistication meant it would warrant custody of up to 12 weeks before credit was applied, Mr Edwards added.

Watson had failed to attend court because he wanted to be out over Christmas so he could spend time with his two children.

When his mother tried to persuade him to give himself up, he buried his head in the sand and became even more neurotic as he had seen his photo in a newspaper appeal and believed people were looking for him.

Watson had started to reduce his drug use and would use his time in custody to get clean, Mr Edwards said, and the defendant’s mother had made it quite clear he would have to do so to stay with her and see his children.

Magistrates jailed Watson for 18 weeks for the attempted burglary, with 14 days each for the breach and failing to attend court.

He was disqualified from driving for six months as a vehicle was used in the commission of the offence, and no compensation was awarded due to the custodial sentence.