A REPEAT burglar who caused £3,000 worth of damage by smashing through the roof of a Bridlington garage has been jailed for 12 months.
Police found Darren Robinson, 24, of the Londesborough Hotel, West Street, trying to hide inside the Southside Autopoint Garage in West Street after setting the alarm off.
He told officers he accidently fell into the building while trying to flee
from people he owed money to.
His initial denial caused garage owner Daniel Parcell to take time off work to attend a trial which Robinson failed to turn up to.
Jailing Robinson at Hull Crown Court, Judge Roger Thorn, QC, said his sympathy lay with the garage owner because Robinson had no cash to pay in compensation.
Crown barrister Mark Bury said the break-in happened around 11.50pm on May 14.
“Darren Robinson was found hiding, a modem had been moved and his footprints were inside,” said Mr Bury. “He came up with a convoluted story to police that he was going to Costcutters nearby and spotted three people he owed money to.
“He said he went down an alleyway and climbed on to a roof and fell in.”
Robinson pleaded guilty to a single charge of burglary after he was re-captured for failing to attend his trial on November 24.
The court heard he had a previous conviction for burglary for which he was jailed for two years and five months.
At the time of the offence he was in breach of a conditional discharge for shop theft.
His barrister Stephen Robinson said: “It was a botched offence.
“Nothing was taken He was never going to be believed. He didn’t get away with it. He has spent time in custody. Perhaps finally the lesson is starting to get through to him. He is still a relatively young man and has a lot of growing up to do.
“He now has a girlfriend. He tells me she is pregnant. He wants to make a fresh start with his family and his partner.”
Jailing him for 12 months, Judge Thorn, QC, told Robinson. “You are now 24. You have a number of previous convictions for dishonesty.
“You have already served two years and five months for burglary. Here you caused a lot of damage for the owner and a lot of inconvenience which cannot be calculated. I have to mark this with a custodial sentence.”
