Manchester Evening News

Addict back in jail after snubbing ‘last chance’

BURGLAR DESCRIBED AS ‘SCOURGE’ ON CITY CENTRE GIVEN CHANCE TO CHANGE DURING LOCKDOWN

- By ANDREW BARDSLEY

A DRUG addict given the chance to change during lockdown is back in jail after returning to his old ways.

Michael Conway-Williams, 41, broke into Black Sheep coffee shop, just yards from Manchester Crown Court, where he had been given a chance by a judge following a previous burglary.

He stole two iPads and a laptop from the coffee shop, after breaking in and causing damage to a door.

Now Conway-Williams, once described as a ‘scourge’ on the city centre, has been jailed for 18 months.

He committed the previous burglary on March 24, the day after the national lockdown was imposed.

After getting into the office of a firm of architects in Peter Street, he tried to steal a £1,500 laptop and a £200 iPad.

But he was challenged and the items were recovered.

In May, Judge Richard Mansell QC said he was willing to give ConwayWill­iams a chance to tackle his drug problem.

He received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to undergo drug rehabilita­tion work.

The judge said lockdown conditions may reduce his ‘temptation’ and ‘opportunit­y’ to steal.

But Conway-Williams, who has 181 previous offences on his record, appeared before the same judge on Friday afternoon, after admitting another burglary. On July 16, he broke into Black Sheep coffee shop.

I gave you a chance to take the right turn towards your drug problem...you failed to take that turn Judge Mansell

Minshull Street Crown Court heard that the business’ insurance policy covered the loss, but they had to pay an excess and it may affect future premiums.

It comes at a time when such businesses are already affected by the coronaviru­s lockdown, the judge said. Judge Mansell told Conway-Williams, who was ‘shaking like a leaf’ and ‘crying’ during the hearing: “I thought that you might have reached a turning point in your life, and gave you a chance to take the right turn towards tackling your drug problem and ceasing your criminal career. You failed to take that turn, and instead went straight back to your old ways.”

The court was told that after committing the burglary, Conway-Williams was hospitalis­ed after being attacked with a hammer, suffering a serious head injury.

The judge continued: “If this had been a wilful decision by you to pay lip service to the suspended sentence order, and carry on taking drugs and re-offending, then I would have passed a much longer sentence to protect the small businesses of Manchester.

“However, there seems to be some truth in your assertions that you have been burgling these properties under direction, and quite possibly a degree of pressure and intimidati­on from others.”

 ??  ?? Michael Conway-Williams was jailed for 18 months
Michael Conway-Williams was jailed for 18 months

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