Man who burgled the home where he grew up is jailed

A BURGLAR has been jailed after a second break in at the home where he grew up as a child.

A sentencing hearing at Burnley Crown Court heard that Ryan Frank Shaw, 23, staged the ‘extremely unusual break in’ at a newly refurbished house on Alder Lane, Rawtenstall during the morning of October 26 this year.

Prosecuting, Emma Kehoe told the court that the couple who owned the house returned at 1pm to find a brick had been thrown through a kitchen window and that drawers and cupboards had been searched and the contents had been left strewn around the floor.

Miss Kehoe said: “Police officers traced Shaw after they found a spot of blood on a shard of glass on the kitchen work surface.

“He was arrested and ●● Ryan Shaw made full admissions about his guilt.”

The court heard that Shaw, of West View, Haslingden, who has six previous convictions for 15 offences, was a ‘three-strike’ burglar and so would face a longer minimum sentence.

Defending Shaw, Kristian Cavanagh said the case was ‘very unusual’ as the property was Shaw’s former childhood home which he associated ‘with happier times’.

He had previously broken into the house in September 2016 when he left the homeowner, who had since sold the property, terrified after she returned home to find him ransacking her house.

On that occasion Shaw had again smashed his way through a window with a brick and stole jewellery, an X-Box, laptop, iPod and docking station.

However he was caught ‘red-handed’ when the owner returned and left her terrified when he shouted at her to get out of her own house.

For that burglary he was jailed for 32 months.

Mr Cavanagh said that during the most recent burglary his client ‘had the opportunity to steal items within the house but didn’t’.

He added that his client, who had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of burglary, was determined to address his problems while in custody.

The court heard that the couple affected by the latest home invasion were finding it difficult to live there after the trauma of the burglary.

Judge Jonathan Gibson jailed Shaw for three years and said the crime was a ‘very unusual set of circumstances’.

After being jailed, Shaw who appeared via video link from Preston Prison asked if he could address the court.

He said: “I’d like to apologise to the victims. I’d like to write to them or see them face to face to say sorry.

“I didn’t mean to ruin their lives with my actions. I’m sorry.” Divan Bed Handmade Harrison Beds TELEPHONE 01282 433000