Jailed, serial burglar trapped by his blood
A ‘PERSISTENT and prolific’ burglar was caught after leaving traces of blood at two crime scenes.
Frederick Gray wreaked havoc as he targeted properties across Greater Manchester over a four-month period last year.
At the time, the 22-year-old was on licence having been released half way through a 42-month sentence for burglary.
He was caught after being captured on CCTV and leaving blood and DNA at the scene of a number of the burglaries.
A judge yesterday jailed Gray for five years at Manchester Crown Court.
Prosecutor David James told the court that on July 20 of last year, Gray broke into a house in Broadoak Road, Ashton-under-Lyne.
The occupant – a childminder – was out at the time, but returned home at 6pm to find her conservatory door had been smashed.
When she checked her CCTV, footage showed Gray smashing the conservatory window before entering the house. He could also be seen holding a screwdriver, which Mr James described as his ‘tool of choice.’
After searching the house for 20-25 minutes, Gray left with a Pandora bracelet and charms, two gold chains and £2,000 in cash.
On September 6, Gray stole an Audi A3 from the car park of a Travelodge in Sale.
The vehicle was later recovered after it was found crashed into a lamp post in Levenshulme.
Days later, on September 10, Gray broke into a house in Baydon Avenue, Salford. The couple who lived there were away on holiday at the time.
The court heard Gray ransacked the house and took a number of items of ‘substantial sentimental value,’ including jewellery and money the couple
had been saving for their grandchildren’s Christmas presents.
Blood left on a window at the property was later found to match Gray’s DNA.
That same day, the defendant also left blood on a set of drawers at a home in St Boniface Road, Salford, after stealing a laptop and sentimental jewellery.
Gray, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to a string of burglary offences, as well as two counts of attempted burglary, theft of a motor vehicle and two other counts of theft.
The court heard he had 37 previous convictions for 91 offences – the majority of which involved theft and burglary.
In 2018, he was sentenced to 42 months in a young offenders institution after being convicted of five burglary offences.
Mitigating, Tom Worsfold, said Gray then returned home to a ‘challenging family life.’
Sentencing Gray, Judge Patrick Field QC described him as ‘a persistent and prolific burglar and thief.’
The judge added: “For you, entering people’s homes and stealing their property seems to be a way of life and ending up in prison seems to be an occupational hazard.
“You appear to have no respect for other people’s property and you appear to lack any concern for the profound hurt and distress that your criminal behaviour has caused.”