OFF THE HOOK... AFTER 8 YEARS
Burglar who skipped bail ‘forgot’ about arrest
After he was interviewed he moved down south to work and heard nothing more and forgot about it Sue Hirst, for Bellas
A HOME raider who skipped bail for almost eight years has finally been brought to justice – but has been allowed to keep his freedom.
Stephen Bellas was arrested after a woman caught him trying to burgle her home in Gateshead in 2010 and released on bail by police.
A court heard he “absented himself” and he says he moved down south to work and forgot about it.
In all that time he has never been arrested and was never put before a court to face the attempted burglary charge. Now, finally, he has admitted it – but was given a suspended prison sentence as he had kept out of trouble for eight years.
Prosecutor Paul Cross told Newcastle Crown Court: “He was arrested in 2010 but then absented himself and it was only recently he came before the court.
“I don’t think he failed to attend court, I think he disappeared while on police bail. It may have been unconditional.”
Mr Cross added: “One of the reasons he was not picked up for the outstanding police bail was probably because he kept himself out of trouble.” Sue Hirst, defending, said: “My instructions are that after he was interviewed he moved down south to work and heard nothing more and forgot about it. “I don’t think the case ever reached court.” The court heard it was on August 21, 2010, that Bellas targeted the home of a woman who lived next door to a friend of his in King Street, Birtley. The neighbour had gone to bed in the afternoon with a headache and was woken by a noise from her landing window. When she went to investigate she saw an arm at her window and found Bellas on top of an outbuilding, trying to gain entry to the flat through the window.
The victim said: “This has left me feeling sickened and shaken up.
“I work hard for a living and don’t owe anything to anyone and don’t claim benefits.
“I feel angry someone thinks they have a right to gain access to my house and try to steal from me.”
Bellas initially claimed he was trying to catch a burglar but eventually admitted attempted burglary.
The 50-year-old, now of Florida Street, Sunderland, who has 79 previous convictions including numerous burglaries, was given 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with supervision.
Judge Robert Spragg told him: “The offence is eight years old and there has been no repetition.
“You have extremely difficult issues from your childhood and it seems this took place at a particularly significant and troubling time for you.
“You have expressed a willingness to co-operate with the probation service and address the root causes of your offending in the past.
“A suspended sentence is likely to benefit you and the public in the long term.”