Pair locked up after early morning raid on golf club
A PAIR of burglars broke into a golf club, threatened a cleaner with a crowbar, raided the bar and grabbed cash from the till.
Jamie Crake and Marcus Thomas admitted burgling the Grove Golf Club in Porthcawl in the early hours of December 29 last year.
Sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Michael Fitton QC told Crake – who had 15 previous convictions: “You are going to have to sort yourself out.”
The court heard the incident occurred at about 4.30am at the golf club in Nottage.
Prosecutor Gareth James said the cleaner heard the sound of glasses clinking and saw the men behind the bar.
He said: “One of them was carrying a crowbar and told him to stay back.”
The court heard the cleaner ran to the other end of the building and called the police.
Mr James said the man was “shocked” and the incident left him scared to go to work.
He added the defendants took alcohol from behind the bar, as well as about £50 in cash from the till.
The court heard Thomas went on to commit multiple driving offences in Port Talbot later that morning.
A police officer recognised the defendant in a red Ford Fiesta on Commercial Road and approached the vehicle.
Mr James said: “The driver accelerated sharply and the officer saw smoke coming from the front tyres.”
The court heard the officer gave chase as Thomas accelerated above the speed limit and drove through several red lights.
Prosecutors said he swerved sharpy, narrowly missing two pedestrians who were crossing the road.
He then swerved again, drove down the wrong side of the road, mounted the pavement and drove along the pavement.
Other officers were alerted and the defendant was pursued, before being arrested.
Crake, 27, from Water Street in Port Talbot, admitted burglary.
Francis Jones, defending, stressed that little was taken and no damage was caused.
He argued the burglary was opportunistic rather than planned and there was no ransacking.
Judge Fitton noted Crake had “a terrible record” and jailed him for 16 months, as well as ordering him to pay a £140 victim surcharge.
Thomas, 27, from Western Avenue, Port Talbot, admitted burglary, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.
The court heard he had 55 previous convictions, including 47 for theft offences.
James McKenna, defending, stressed no violence was used during the burglary and no injury was caused during the episode of dangerous driving.
Thomas was jailed for two years and disqualified from driving for four years, as well as being ordered to pay £140 towards victim services.