OAP burgled on birthday
Court Reporter LOWLIFE Brian Quinn brazenly burgled a pensioner on his birthday and stole his savings while his wife and daughter slept.
The serial crook already had 212 previous convictions when he went back to his old ways after falling off the wagon.
He targeted the home in Fawdon, Newcastle, while the 68-year-old man, his wife and their daughter were present, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Quinn helped himself to hundreds of pounds of savings stashed in a bedroom as well as a silver crucifix, a tablet computer and ten cans of beer.
He was nabbed when an eagle-eyed neighbour spotted him climbing over fences in the area, covered in blood.
Now the 38-year-old, whose list of previous convictions stretches to 37 pages and who was jailed for 876 days last March for burglary, has been sent back to prison for three years.
His victim said: “The burglary happened on my birthday. I was present along with my family when this person entered and stole my property.
“When I realised what had happened I was shocked, shaken and upset.
“I reflected with disbelief that he walked into my home during the day time with the chance of being confronted.
“I’ve been left a changed person when I’m out in the street. I worry if this person would ever return to my address. I didn’t see the person responsible and even if they came to my door I would not know who they are.”
The court heard a concerned neighbour raised the alarm around 8.15am on June 16 after spotting Quinn climbing over fences in Edgefield Avenue, Fawdon.
When officers stopped him he was found to have a number of items in his bag, including a claw hammer, screwdriver, money box, tins of beer, jewellery and bags of cash.
At that stage there had been no reports of burglaries in the area but Quinn was arrested and taken to the police station.
The 68-year-old victim had gone to the shop to buy a newspaper around 7.30am and when he got back his wife was still asleep in bed and his daughter was snoozing on the sofa.
It was only when his daughter woke up at around 8.20am that she alerted her dad to the fact the front door was open and they realised they had been burgled.
Angus Taylor, prosecuting, said: “He had stolen savings stored in a Coca Cola tin, some £500, from a bedroom in a briefcase under a dressing table, plus £80 cash in small bags containing 50p coins. He said 10 cans of John Smith’s, a silver crucifix and a tablet computer had also been taken.”
Quinn, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to burglary. Jailing him, Recorder William Lowe QC said: “This was a very serious offence of burglary, as you doubtless now realise.”
Paul Caulfield, defending, said: “When he was released on the last occasion he began to receive treatment at residential rehabilitation, then was given accommodation in what is described as a dry house for six weeks.
“The risk of relapse is significant, he clearly is an alcoholic and has a drug problem. Having worked hard to sort his act out he began to drink and take drugs and in that condition he found himself committing yet another acquisitive crime.
“He is anxious to break this cycle of offending and imprisonment. He wants to live a normal life and obtain employment.”