Thieving mum stole £2k worth of neighbour’s stuff – then headed to pawn shop
Telly, Xbox and Alexa among drug-addicted burglar’s haul
MUM-OF-TWO Carmela Giglia has been spared jail stealing more than £2,000 of belongings from her elderly neighbour.
The 37-year-old was caught redhanded on CCTV breaking into the victim’s flat in Cheadle while he was away. Stoke-on-trent Crown Court heard Giglia was aware he had Ring cameras inside and so took the camera and ‘threw it in a skip’ in the hope her crime would go undetected.
She took more than £2,000 worth of his belongings including a TV, a vacuum cleaner, and Xbox and games and an Alexa, among other items, during the raid at 9.45am on July 15 last year.
Giglia then took the items to Cash Converters in Longton and sold them over the space of a couple of days.
The court heard she was addicted to drugs at the time. Representing herself, Giglia told the court: “I’ve had a negative drug test since last year. I have lots of support from my family; my mum, my dad, my sister, and my kids, and I have my own accommodation.
“My kids’ dad stopped letting me have them and he stopped taking them to school, so I lost my head and went off the rails. I’m sincerely apologetic to [the victim], and I would say sorry if I could but I can’t because I’m on bail.
“I wouldn’t do it again if I could turn back time. I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart.”
Prosecutor Antony Longworth said Giglia, now of Hungerford Road, Crewe, had pleaded guilty to burglary and failing to attend a drugs test on July 25 – just over a week after her arrest on July 17.
Judge Graeme Smith sentenced her to 16 months in prison, suspended for 12 months. He told Giglia: “This offence was particularly serious because it was your neighbour and you quite clearly knew him. You were filmed and clearly committed the offence. You took his property of significant value.
“This was a B1 burglary that could be two years’ custody. Your other convictions are old and not relevant. You are at low risk of reoffending.
“The probation service report states you could be rehabilitated. You have made significant changes with your family and you are not taking drugs. Your sentence is suspended for 12 months, and if you commit any more crimes then you will be breaching the suspension.”
Giglia was also ordered to complete a 30-day rehabilitation requirement days and must pay a £250 fine.