Thief who terrified pensioner is jailed
Reporter A DESPICABLE thief broke into the home of an 80-year-old woman as she slept during a 36-hour burglary spree.
Kristopher Butler sneaked into the pensioner’s Gateshead house in the early hours of the morning and helped himself to a TV, DVD player and pen, worth £450.
The 35-year-old fled the scene but his movements managed to wake the terrified victim, who bravely walked downstairs to confront any intruders.
Newcastle Crown Court was told it was Butler’s second of three burglaries within a mile of his home on Durham Road over a 36-hour period last year.
During the first break-in on the evening of November 25, the thief targeted a family home on Salkeld Gardens while the occupants were out shopping.
He ransacked the premises and made-off with cameras, a camcorder and cash, worth £571, before turning his attention to the pensioner’s address on Ellwood Gardens the following morning.
Describing the facts of the case, Judge Sarah Mallett said: “The complainant was 80 and she was asleep at the time you committed this offence. She was woken up at 4.45am and she was worried.
“One can only imagine how she felt living in the address on her own and going downstairs not knowing if you were in the house or not.
“Fortunately, you were not but the rooms had been searched and items stolen.”
The court was told Butler’s third burglary happened at around 8.15am on November 27 when he broke into an address on Durham Road and stole £2,000-worth of goods.
The householder, who had been taking her children to school, came home and realised it had been ransacked, prosecutors said.
Butler was finally caught after a partial foot and fingerprints were left in one of the properties. He has now pleaded guilty to three counts of dwelling burglary.
Locking him up for four years and seven months, Judge Mallett said: “This is a spate of burglaries over a short period of time. The offences involved some planning. It appears particular items were being searched for and you were equipped for the burglaries.”
Shaun Routledge, defending, said Butler had been addicted to heroin at the time but, since being remanded, had been on a methadone programme, the prescription of which had been reduced in recent weeks.
Butler had also been using his time in prison constructively, the barrister said.