Man embarked on cocaine-fuelled 24-hr crime spree
AMAN has been jailed following a 24-hour cocainefuelled crime spree, where he stole two cars, burgled a house and took £60 worth of fuel without paying.
Samuel Arden, 23, was spotted loitering outside a house in Stockport at around 3.20am on September 8 last year on CCTV where a VW Golf and Audi were parked.
Arden, of f Alvanley Crescent, Adswood in Stockport, was seen going to and from the address numerous times as he took the VW then the Audi, before returning once more to the house.
He was spooked and drove away to a nearby service station where he filled the Audi with £60 worth of petrol, before making off without payment, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
Arden later attempted to use a bank card he had stolen, but was unable to as the owner had cancelled it.
At midday he then broke into another house and swiped £13,000 in cash, jewellery and designer clothes and handbags before heading upstairs.
However, a 16-year-old girl who was upstairs called out thinking it was her dad just as Arden went to open her bedroom door.
He quickly shut it and left as the girl realised they had been burgled.
His spree finally came to an end when he was stopped by the police in the stolen Audi - he was already disqualified from driving and was found in possession of a small amount of cocaine.
Arden was arrested and searched and was found to have £125 in cash, black gloves, a screwdriver, a hammer and the stolen jewellery.
The Audi was recovered but was subject to damage to the rear bumper and eventually was written off.
The VW was found abandoned and there was also damage to that vehicle too, it was said.
Arden pleaded guilty to burglary, theft of motor vehicle, driving whilst disqualified, possession of drugs and false representation at an earlier hearing.
He was sentenced to 32 months imprisonment.
Arden was said to have five previous convictions for seven offences including handling stolen goods and he was said to be in breach of a suspended sentence from 2017.
In mitigation, his defence lawyer Michael Knowles said: “During the burglary it was possible there would have been a confrontation as somebody was there.
“The presentence report draws a picture of somebody who had a feral childhood, who became addicted to drugs at an early age and undoubtedly began to be influenced by others throughout his life.
“There are mental health difficulties, which may be a direct result of his drug use.
“These are real problems.
“He was receiving treatment from the Stockport Trust.
“He has been in custody at a time when there are issues related to covid, he has been in a cell for 23 hours out of 24 and he has been assaulted whilst in prison.”
Sentencing him, Judge Maurice Greene said: “All offences were committed over a 24 hour period when it’s likely you were under the influence of drugs.
“This is a problem which has hounded you for many, many years.
“The most serious offence was the burglary, it was during the day, the occupier heard banging downstairs and noises moving upstairs.
“As her door opened she called out thinking it was her father, then the door closed.
“Clearly it was you.
“How frightening it must have been as she was so close to confrontation with you at the time, it’s difficult to conceive.
“I understand you have been diagnosed with cocaine dependence syndrome and mental behavioural disorder, which is dependent on cocaine use.
“This is a real mental disorder, but only custody can be justified.”