Lucky pair are spared prison to go straight

JUDGE WARNS CRIMINAL DUO THEY MAY STILL END UP IN JAIL

TWO entrenched criminals who have spent much of their lives behind bars have been given a chance to mend their ways by a judge.

Leicester Crown Court was told Zaydene Shahadat went on a burglary and theft spree at city shops.

He also attempted to steal from the till of a hotel bar with coaccused Darren Cundell.

Judge Martin Hurst told both former drug users, who appeared via a live video link from prison: “It’s your lucky day, I won’t be locking you up.”

He decided to give them the opportunity to continue keeping off drugs to stop their cycle of offending, that was compared to a “revolving door” at Leicester’s Welford Road prison.

Shahadat, of Main Street, Rempstone, admitted six burglaries and two thefts in city centre pubs, supermarkets, hotels and shops between February 20 and March 16.

Shahadat, 31, and Cundell, 41, both admitted burglary with intent

on Wednesday and Thursday.

“We’ve put sandbags down, we needed about five tonnes of sand,” she said.

“There’s a few elderly residents in that area, it looked like they were in to steal from the till at the Villare Hotel on February 29, when they posed as guests.

Shahadat asked for burglaries at the Belmont Hotel and Premier Inn to be taken into consideration along with three more thefts.

Cundell, who was formerly homeless, admitted burglary, with intent to steal, at a university building in Regent Road on Thursday, February 27 as well as threatening behaviour at the Clockwise Credit Union offices in St Nicholas Place on Thursday, April 9.

Julia King, prosecuting, said Shahadat had “a large number of offences” on his record including robberies and firearms offences in 2010, when he received a sevenyear sentence.

She said Cunell had 115 offences on his record, of which 73 were dishonesty-related.

James Varley, mitigating for Shahadat, said his client ended up “living on the streets” after a relationship break-up and committed the offences to fund his drug use.

a bit of a mess, but it has gone down quite a lot now.

“It has been an amazing response though – Midland Aggregate gave us sand and someone went to go and get some bags, it has been great.”

He said: “His father has written a letter to the court, he’s a loving and a caring father who has tried to do his best for his son, who hasn’t wanted to do the right thing until now. He has spent more than half his life in prison and he wants to clear the slate. He’s on medication and showing motivation.”

Gary Short, mitigating for Cundell, said he also had good intentions, a home to go to and had cleaned up his act during two months in custody.

Shahadat was given a two-year jail term, suspended for two years. Cundell was given 18 months, again suspended for two years.

Judge Hurst said: “You should take advantage of what’s being offered. If you don’t take it you’ll end up back here and the next judge will wonder what on Earth I was doing and will give you plenty more on top. It’s up to you if you serve the sentence I’m suspending.”

He added: “You’ve both been extremely fortunate today.”

The sand that was provided was given for free and was delivered within 20 minutes.

Helen also praised “a few of the local lads” who joined in the effort to get the bags down into place in the