A BURGLAR filmed himself on his mobile phone as he committed an early morning house burglary.

Hayden Rees Tapsell initially denied being involved, Mold Crown Court was told yesterday, but officers recovered the footage from his mobile phone which clearly showed he was responsible.

Tapsell was jailed for 17 months after he admitted burglary at a house in Highmere Drive in Connah’s Quay and driving off in the family’s Vauxhall Mokka when he was disqualified and did not have insurance.

The film showed his own distinctive trainers and trousers, an open window and Tapsell going in and stealing car ignition keys from the kitchen.

The footage also showed him getting into a Vauxhall Mokka outside and driving away in it.

Barrister Matthew Curtis, prosecuting, told how a young mother of two children who slept through it all had identified her home on the footage – and had been traumatised by seeing Tapsell in her property.

The court heard Tapsell, 25, was of no fixed abode but at the time of the burglary lived at Green Lane in Shotton.

Mr Curtis said at 2am on December 7 Tapsell went into the house and when the victim later woke up and went for a glass of water noticed her car keys were missing. She looked out and realised the vehicle had gone.

The victim was registered disabled and it would have been obvious from the vehicle that she was.

Mr Curtis said the vehicle was later seen by a member of the public and at about midday Tapsell was arrested inside the vehicle.

He denied stealing it and said he had simply been allowed by another man, who he named, to use the vehicle in order to charge his mobile phone.

Tapsell was arrested and when officers checked the phone they found the incriminating evidence.

A number of video clips were recovered which showed the defendant at the targeted premises.

It showed the clothing he was wearing – the same ones he had on when he was arrested – and one slip showed him driving away in the Mokka.

Video clips showed him earlier in hospital.

Tapsell’s DNA was found on a drinks bottle in the vehicle.

Among personal items which had disappeared were a teddy which was of “huge sentimental value” to the owner because it reminded her of another child which she had lost.

The victim had difficulty sleeping, and had nightmares having seen the film of the defendant inside her home.

The court heard Tapsell had issues including drug induced psychosis and had recently been released from The Ablett Psychiatric Unit.

Tapsell received 14 months for the burglary, a consecutive three months for driving while disqualified, and he was banned from driving for two years.

John Hedgecoe, defending, said Tapsell, who had previous convictions for 21 offences, had been seeking help with his mental health.

A film on the phone showed he had been at the hospital earlier that day and wanted to be admitted because he felt a psychotic episode coming on but he had not been kept in, left the hospital at 11pm and committed the burglary on his return to Deeside while in that state.

He had been warned about the dangers of taking cocaine with his mental health problems and had not taken class A drugs since.

Tapsell was hoping he would receive treatment while in custody, Mr Hedgecoe said.

“This young man clearly has quite serious mental health problems.

“He was using his telephone as a camera even before he committed the burglary and there is footage of him at the hospital.”

Mr Hedgecoe said Tapsell was still suffering psychotic episodes from time to time but he was using his time in custody positively, had gained qualifications and it was his ambition on his release to leave Deeside with his girlfriend and start life afresh with a job elsewhere.

Tapsell had expressed remorse for what he had done and was sorry for what he had put the victim and her family through.

The judge, Mr Recorder Gregg Bull QC, said house burglaries were offences against the person and were always regarded as serious.

It would take the victim many years to get over what he had done, he said.