Prolific burglar left latest victim feeling ‘violated and afraid’
SERIAL OFFENDER WITH ‘APPALLING RECORD’ IS JAILED FOR FIVE YEARS
A PROLIFIC burglar who uses a special technique to break into homes has been jailed after his latest crime left his victim feeling “violated”.
John Stoddard, 49, of Hull Prison, broke into a woman’s locked flat in Westbourne Avenue on the afternoon of September 28 last year using a technique he had mastered to get past Yale locks.
Stoddard made an “untidy search” and took four laptops, three mobile phones, three watches, three bottles of aftershave and a mountain bike.
Hull Crown Court heard that Stoddard first denied the offence, but his DNA was found on a Lucozade bottle and he later admitted his crime.
Prosecutor Vincent Blake-bernard said Stoddard was three months into a suspended sentence for burglary when committing his latest crime and was a “third strike burglar” with 41 convictions for 107 offences on his record.
He read a victim personal statement to the court and said: “The complainant states that being burgled has always been her worst fear and she suffers from anxiety and depression, for which she took medication.
“She feels violated that someone has been into her flat and through her belongings and she does not feel safe in her flat anymore.”
Defending Stoddard, Stephen Robinson said the defendant “bitterly regrets his behaviour” and that he had been sober for more than 14 months before committing the burglary after a battle with drugs.
Mr Robinson told the court that, as a result of the pandemic, his health meetings to battle with drugs and alcohol transferred online and he had his phone stolen, so could no longer attend them on Zoom to help with his addiction.
As a result, he turned to alcohol and then moved on to drugs again and burgled in order to fund his habit.
It was also said that Stoddard has been a model prisoner while on remand, has passed academic tests, and helps teach other prisoners how to read and helps new detainees fill in prison paperwork.
Recorder Mullarkey sentenced Stoddard to five years behind bars.
He said: “You agreed you had particular skills in bypassing Yale locks but denied any involvement in this offence, even when the forensic evidence was put to you.
“Following interview, you said you hoped the complainant got her property back, but I’ve read her victim personal statement and it’s plain that your offending against her has left her feeling violated and afraid.
“You have an appalling record for offences of burglary and most recently in June of 2020, a suspended sentence order was imposed of 24 months suspended for 18 months for an offence of dwelling burglary.
“It’s, therefore, all the more serious that within three months of the imposition of that sentence, that you committed this offence.
“You are plainly a persistent and professional career burglar with a specific technique of gaining access and you have been given every opportunity to reform, but you simply continue to reoffend.”
As he was taken down to the cells, Stoddard apologised to the judge for his actions and promised to reform himself.
“I just want to say I’m really sorry to the victim, really sorry and I’m going to make a good effort to change my life this time, I’m really fed up.”