Back behind bars, the burglar who has spent life preying on elderly

JUDGE SAYS MAN, 39, HAS HAD EVERY CHANCE TO CHANGE WAYS

A BURGLAR with more than 60 crimes on his record – including more than 20 break-ins – is back behind bars after his latest victim found him snooping around his flat.

The elderly victim, who was living in a Sanctuary Housing sheltered site in Stoneygate, Leicester, found Patrick Nolan inside his home on November 11.

Nolan, 39, has been burgling and defrauding elderly people since his youth, Leicester Crown Court heard.

His crimes include more than 20 burglaries and attempted burglaries, many of which targeted elderly victims, the court was told during his latest appearance.

In the Stoneygate incident, when confronted, Nolan pretended he was there to do gardening, but his elderly victim did not believe the story.

As Nolan left the flat emptyhanded, more residents challenged him and the manager threatened to call the police.

Nolan fled and when he was later arrested, the police found a bank card on him that belonged to an elderly woman who had also been burgled recently.

He had withdrawn more than £1,000 of the woman’s cash using the card, although there was no eviand dence he had committed that burglary.

During the hearing on Friday, prosecutor Luc Chignell said “preying on the elderly and vulnerable” was how Nolan operated.

Describing the elderly man’s reaction to the crime, Mr Chignell said: “He said the incident made him feel very worried.

He was aware the story he got was a lie and was relieved when the defendant was gone.

“He was worried about being away from his flat at Christmas.” Mr Chignell went on to describe Nolan’s “somewhat vast” list of previous convictions, which totalled 63 offences including 20 previous burglaries and attempted burglaries, as well as fraud.

His previous convictions go back to when he was a youth.

His adult convictions included: 2000: burglary – four years imprisonment;

2003: two burglaries – three years imprisonment;

2005: burglary – three years imprisonment;

2008 three burglaries – five years and six months imprisonment;

2012 two burglaries – six years imprisonment;

2017 two burglaries – five years imprisonment.

Mr Chignell said: “His method of offending was very similar to this – talking elderly people into letting him into their homes and stealing from them.

“This (latest) victim was targeted because of his age.”

As well as admitting burglary, eight counts of theft and receiving stolen goods, Nolan, of no fixed address, asked for another burglary three fraud accusations to be taken into consideration.

Pree Brada, representing Nolan, said he had “expressed a strong desire to change his ways” and was in a vicious cycle of drug addiction, crime and mental health problems.

Recorder Sandeep Kainth sentenced Nolan to five years and two months in jail.

He told him: “You have violated people’s homes on so many occasions and you were targeting vulnerable people in sheltered accommodation.

“If you wanted to change you had the opportunity to do so. Custody doesn’t do the trick, but custody is the only sentence I can impose.”