Burglar who stole car and later torched house jailed

A 26-year old man who stole a car and set fire to a house on the same night was jailed yesterday for the “significant and serious” offences.

Christopher Joseph Vance, whose address was given as HMP Maghaberry, attended yesterday’s sentencing at Downpatrick Crown Court via a video-link with the prison.

Judge Geoffrey Miller QC imposed a sentence of three years and 10 months, which he divided between 22 months’ custody and two years on supervised licence.

The defendant, who has 70 previous convictions, claimed he had no memory of what occurred on April 6 last year. It emerged that he was captured on CCTV on Dundrum Main Street walking in a “zig-zag fashion” prior to the crime spree.

It was the Crown’s case that on the evening in question Vance was seen trying a number of doors in Parterre Crescent before a BMW X5 was stolen from that location.

A short time later he broke into a house on Drin Road in Dromara, where two flatscreen TVS were stolen. The house was then set alight, and while the property was unoccupied, extensive damage was caused in the arson attack.

Items recovered at the scene were linked to the earlier incident in Dundrum, and Vance was then seen in Clough, where the stolen BMW had been abandoned.

While Vance initially denied involvement, he later admitted four offences including stealing the BMW and breaking into and setting fire to the house in Dromara.

Judge Miller said that as there was no forensic evidence to connect Vance to the offences, the pleas were welcomed and would attract a discount in his sentence.

The judge noted that Vance has expressed remorse, told a probation off i cer he was ashamed of his actions and has “taken matters seriously” regarding the impact his behaviour has had on others. He also passed a recent drugs test in prison.

Vance’s complex family background was noted by Judge Miller, which the defendant said led him to experiment with drugs as a teenager.

This, the judge added, led to criminal behaviour and further substance abuse.

Branding the offences as “serious”, Judge Miller told Vance: “The custody threshold is clearly met.”

Handing him the sentence, Judge Miller said that as part of his period on licence he should attend an alcohol and drug management programme, and any others that address his offending behaviour.