Turkey thief caught ransacking couple’s home is behind bars
MAN BURGLED HOUSE AND STOLE SIX JOINTS OF MEAT FROM STORE
A THIEF who repeatedly stole turkey joints from a Farmfoods store in Hull has been jailed for three years.
Liam Lee, 36, walked into the supermarket in Greenwood Avenue on three occasions in October last year where he stole six joints of Turkey in total over four days.
Hull Crown Court heard Lee had also targeted a five-bedroom home a month earlier where he smashed a patio door to gain entry.
The couple who owned the property returned home at around 7pm on September 11 and became concerned when they noticed a light in the library was switched on.
“The couple had been out of their house for an hour,” said prosecuting barrister Eddison Flint. “They left it secure and returned home after 7pm.
“As they approached the home a light they didn’t leave on was illuminating.”
The couple entered the property through the back door when they heard movement upstairs.
As they entered the hallway, Lee was walking down the staircase with a carrier bag in hand and tried to make his way past the couple to escape.
“The homeowner hit him on the back of the head with his arm,” said Mr Flint. “There was a struggle with the defendant in the library. Both men fell to the floor.”
The struggle escalated into the kitchen and the garden, where Lee managed to escape.
Lee left the carrier bag inside the property, which contained toiletries and a purse. He had also stolen a Webley air pistol worth £50 and a knife in a sheath that was kept in a bedside cabinet.
Since the burglary, the couple say they have become “more wary and much more anxious” when leaving their home, despite the security measures in place there.
“Whenever I return home I am worried about discovering another break-in,” the victim said.
A remorseful Lee, who appeared via video link from Hull prison, said “that’s horrible” when he heard the their statements.
The couple had to pay £120 to repair the damage to the patio door.
A month later, the defendant went to Farmfoods on four occasions, the first occurring on October 19 when he walked into the store and took two turkey joints before leaving without paying.
He returned to the store two days later at 11am and then returned an hour-and-a-half later stealing four turkey joints in total that day.
On October 22, Lee would return to the store but was challenged by staff before he could make off with the meat.
Staff took the joints off him and had to stop him from trying to steal another before he was escorted out of the store. The court heard he stole £131.89 worth of items in total.
Lee appeared at Hull Crown Court on February 5 to be sentenced for burglary, three counts of theft and an attempted theft.
His criminal record includes 18 convictions for 30 offences, the majority of which are for shoplifting.
“He is genuinely remorseful for the impact of his actions,” said mitigating barrister Nadim Bashir.
Mr Bashir revealed to the court that Lee’s past criminal behaviour were linked to drugs misuse and that on the night of the burglary he had relapsed.
He said: “The defendant states he became homeless after falling out with his partner and he relapsed, taking heroin and drinking a certain amount of alcohol.
“Of course, he recognises his drug misuse is no justification for his behaviour. He tells me that custody is perhaps the best thing that happened to him. He has used his time well and has become clean of drugs.
“It seems this is an individual who is craving for stability in his life.”
Recorder Singh QC accepted Lee was genuinely remorseful but the fact he committed the crimes while under a community order for a previous offence was an aggravating factor,
He said: “This house was setback within its own grounds and it was something you clearly decided to target to avoid detection.
“Two rooms had been gone through upstairs and there was an element of ransacking involved.
“These matters are aggravated by the fact you have previous convictions and the fact these offences occurred in the currency of a court order. I do accept that you are remorseful.”
Recorder Singh QC sentenced Lee to three years in prison for burglary.