Burglar broke into college and school in raids just weeks apart
A BURGLAR stole money raised by children with special needs and then soiled their classroom floor in an “abhorrent act”, a court has heard.
The raid on the Bridgend school came just weeks after he had been caught breaking into a college.
Shaun Powell, from Aberdare, was detained at the first burglary by a tutor and a mature student – an off-duty police officer.
But after being released on bail he burgled a school for youngsters with complex learning needs, stole money the pupils had raised, and then defecated in a classroom before wiping his backside on a teacher’s top.
His barrister said Powell 45-year-old “lacks life skills” after spending much of his life going in and out of prison.
Cardiff Crown Court heard that on February 12 this year Powell walked into Bridgend College while lessons were being held, and began wandering the corridors.
Lisa McCormick, prosecuting, said he entered one of the classrooms and was challenged by a tutor, to which he replied that he was looking for his sister before leaving.
Powell then hid in a cupboard in the college, emerging later that same evening.
However he was spotted and challenged by a tutor, who raised the alarm.
Miss McCormick said the defendant fled the building through a fire escape but was chased by a mature student – an offduty police officer – and caught with the help of a security guard.
Police were called and Powell was arrested, questioned, and released on bail.
A fortnight later he carried out a similar burglary at the neighbouring Heronsbridge special school.
The prosecutor said the school was open that evening for a drama club when Powell walked in and began going into classrooms and looking for items to steal.
The court heard that he took a tin of money youngsters had themselves raised with events in the school before “defecating on the floor on window sill” of one of the classrooms. Powell then wiped his bum on a teacher’s top before stuffing the soiled garment into a desk.
He was again challenged by a tutor who saw him in a corridor.
The court heard the defendant was later identified from CCTV footage – but not before he’d boasted to his friends about the money he had stolen.
When he was arrested he was found to be in possession of cannabis.
A victim impact statement from a teacher at Heronsbridge described how the children had been left “heartbroken” at having the money they raised stolen, and many of the pupils – who have complex learning needs – were caused enormous anxiety at the though of having a stranger roaming around their classrooms.
She said the school should be a safe place for children and youngsters but no longer felt that way, adding: “What sort of person would do such a thing?”
Powell, of Albert Street, had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of non-dwelling burglary, criminal damage – the soiling of the teacher’s hoodie – and possession of cannabis when he appeared in the dock via videolnk for sentencing.
He had also previously pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and amphetamine in relation to a separate incident when he and two other people had been caught taking drugs in the stairwell of Bridgend’s Brackla Street multi-storey car park.
The court heard he has 35 previous convictions for 80 offences, including 11 for house burglaries as well as non-dwelling break-ins, along with attempted burglaries, and drugs matters.
The prosecutor described him as a “prolific burglar”.
Darren Bishop, for Powell, accepted the soiling of the school classroom and teacher’s clothing had been an “abhorrent act”.
He said the defendant was a man who “lacked consequential thinking” and, to use the colloquial, it had been a case of Powell being “caught short” rather than deliberately deciding to do it.
The barrister said the defendant had become “somewhat institutionalised” as a result of his frequent visits to prison, he “lacked life skills”, and had a support network in the world outside custody “which is as dysfunctional as himself”.
He added that Powell’s mental health problems were exacerbated by his use of cannabis and amphetamine.
Judge Richard Williams told the defendant he had clearly targeted the two educational institutions looking for anything he could steal – the second break-in being committed while on bail for the first.
He described Powell’s defecating in the classroom and soiling of the teacher’s clothing as “disgraceful”.
Giving the defendant credit for his guilty pleas, he sentenced him to 12 months for the college burglary, and to 21 months for the school burglary, the sentences to run consecutively, making a total of 33 months.
Judge Williams also made an order under the Criminal Offence Act of 1826 that the police officer and tutor who tackled Powell at Bridgend College be awarded £500 each for their “commendable public spirit”.