Burglar left keys behind when raiding friend’s home

AN “almost comedic” burglar who left “calling cards” behind when he broke into his friend’s house was handed an 18-month jail sentence yesterday.

Craigavon Crown Court heard that when Nathan Mccutcheon entered his friend’s house, he left behind the keys to his own property and a tin of Harp beer.

Jailing the 28-year-old and ordering him to serve half his 18-month sentence in jail and the rest on licence, Judge Patrick Lynch QC told the thief, “This was a mean offence”.

Appearing at court via videolink from prison, Mccutcheon, from Graham Gardens in Lisburn, admitted a single charge of burglary in relation to an incident on July 11 last year.

Prosecuting lawyer Joseph Murphy told the court Mccutcheon had been in the house on Strathearne Place, also in Lisburn, drinking before everyone in the property went to an Eleventh Night bonfire.

When the householder returned to the property, she no

‘A can of Harp was on the windowsill, along with keys that had a distinctive fob’

ticed that the blinds in her living room had been disturbed and that two mobile phones — an iphone and a Samsung — had gone missing.

“A wallet that had been left by the defendant in the living room was also missing and a tin of Harp was on the windowsill, along with keys which had a distinctive fob,” the lawyer said.

Police were called and officers spotted Mccutcheon putting a wallet into his pocket when his home was searched.

Officers subsequently found the two stolen phones and tins of Harp lager which had the same serial number as the can left at the scene of the burglary.

Mr Murphy submitted that with numerous convictions for theft and shoplifting, Mccutcheon’s record was an aggravating factor, as was “the fact that this was a domestic burglary”.

Defence counsel Peter Coiley argued that while it was a domestic burglary, “it’s not a conventional burglary — it’s almost comedic”, pointing to “calling cards” left behind.

He said Mccutcheon had climbed in through a small living room window to get his wallet back and then spotted the phones, which presented him with an opportunity for theft.

Although handed a jail sentence, because of time spent on remand waiting for his case to be dealt with, the defendant will soon be released.