Meat cleaver and stun gun in man’s mobility scooter

DISABLED BURGLAR KEPT ITEMS IN BASKET

A BURGLAR left a breadcrumb trail for police after leaving his blood at the scene of a house he broke into - only for cops arresting him to find a meat cleaver and stun gun in the basket of his mobility scooter.

Conrad Sanderson was extremely lucky to get off with a community order for breaking into the house in East Yorkshire in February 2020 in a desperate bid “to search for cannabis”, a court heard.

The 59-year-old, who is disabled and uses a walking frame and mobility scooter, left vital evidence at the scene, which led police straight back to him.

But a judge at Hull Crown Court on Thursday had to resort to sentencing Sanderson over a mobile phone speakerphone, after the video link he was appearing on kept disconnecting.

Prosecuting, Stephen Robinson said the burglary victim had left her home on the afternoon of Tuesday, February 4 in 2020, for a school run.

On her return, the woman and her partner found someone had broken into the house through a window, which had been smashed, with red marks left on the window sill.

“The defendant accepts entering the property at the behest of another to find cannabis,” said Mr Robinson.

“Not finding any, he left. Blood left at the scene was traced to the defendant.”

Sanderson, of Tennyson Avenue, Bridlington, was arrested for burglary on Thursday, March 12, in a café in the resort.

“When he was searched, two items were recovered from his scooter - a large meat cleaver was found in the basket of the scooter, and at the police station there was what appeared to be a smartphone, but an officer believed it to be a stun gun,” said Mr Robinson.

“Forensic analysis confirmed it was a stun gun disguised as a mobile phone.”

Richard Butters, in defence, told the court Sanderson was of ill health and mobility.

Sanderson appeared over video link due to being unable to access the dock with a Zimmer frame.

But after the connection kept cutting out, His Honour Judge Bury rang Sanderson and proceeded to sentence him over speakerphone.

Sanderson was told he would serve 18-month community orders for the burglary and weapon possessions, to be served concurrently, plus a 15-day rehabilitation order.

Addressing him over the phone, Judge Bury said: “This is your chance to prove yourself,” to which the defendant replied, “I won’t let you down”.

Sanderson was also told he would have to pay a fine and victim surcharge.