Man arrested on day he's freed from prison

Hapless David Lofty, 23, was arrested outside his mother’s home on August 3 – the day he walked free from prison – for sitting on the floor in Hartley Court, Bridlington, drinking. He said he had gone to his mum’s to apologise – but she rang the police.

Lofty had been jailed in January this year for 29 months for burgling a house and being caught in a stolen car when it crashed into his mother’s kitchen window.

The crash caused £3,000 worth of damage to the house and the car. His mother had dialled 999 after hearing a loud bang, only to see a Renault Megane had crashed in to her property.

She told the police her son had been at the wheel – but Lofty denied it and escaped the conviction.

However, his mother was so fed up of his unwanted visits she got a court order banning him from approaching her house.

Lofty, formerly of Kingsgate, Bridlington, appeared via video link from Hull Prison to Hull Crown Court for sentence after pleading guilty to breaching a restraining order.

Crown barrister Stephen Robinson said the police got a call from Lofty’s mother at 11.26pm on August 3.

“His mother had made the call. The police arrived at 11.30pm to find Mr Lofty was sitting on the floor next to a wall, drinking from a pint glass. He was informed about the existence of the restraining order and told he was being arrested.

“His response was ‘I only came here for five minutes’. That was effectively an admission so he was not interviewed. August 3 was the day he was released from custody.”

Defence barrister Paul Norton said: “Although the offence is aggravated by being committed on his first day of his release from prison, he is actually allowed to contact his mother,” said

Mr Norton. “In drink he said he called around to his mother’s house to apologise to her.”

Sentencing, Judge Mark Bury told Lofty: “ That was an expensive drink. You were most unwise to breach your restraining order on the day of your release. It was not the most serious breach. You did not contact your mother, however the effect of committing an offence on the day of your release means you have been recalled on licence and you are in jeopardy of being in custody until October next year.

“It was your first breach and so I am minded to impose a six-month conditional discharge.”

Lofty told the Judge he would like to appeal his prison recall for his burglary sentence.

The judge said it was not a matter for him - but the Home Office - and if he was successful he must still not go to his mother’s house – or risk being sentenced for the breach a second time.