Burglar broke into ex-lover’s home to steal copper piping

A BURGLAR broke into his exgirlfriend’s home, while she slept upstairs with her fiancé and daughter, in order to steal copper piping.

Christopher Williams, 38, previously pleaded guilty to a dwelling burglary and criminal damage and was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court yesterday. The defendant broke into his ex-girlfriend Leanne Fry’s home in Chepstow on December 17 last year while she slept upstairs with her family.

When he was first confronted by police, Williams claimed he tried to break in to the property in order to retrieve a cat that had previously belonged to him, but this was dismissed by the court.

Prosecutor Jason Howells said: “Ms Fry was woken at 6am from what she described as ‘massive banging noises’. Initially they thought it was coming from the front of the house but it was coming from the rear of the property.

“It sounded like someone was trying to break down the door so they called 999 and were advised not to investigate the noise.

“They then heard someone inside their house and heard footsteps on the laminate flooring. In their scared state they grabbed their daughter and hid in a wooden wardrobe in their bedroom.”

Officers discovered Williams dressed in scruffy work clothes crawling through the bottom panel of the rear door, which had been damaged.

The Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Eleri Rees, sentenced Williams, of Aust Crescent, Chepstow, to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.