Mean burglar gets five years
Wedding ring, birthday cards and sleeping child’s bedroom among the tally
A career burglar who spent a summer raiding family homes in Scarborough has been jailed for more than five years after a judge told him his callous crimes were “about as mean as it gets”.
Robert Oakley, 36, stole thousands of pounds’ worth of goods, including treasured family heirlooms and a wedding ring.
In one raid, Oakley crept into a child’s bedroom and stole items while the youngster slept.
In another, he stole birthday cards and presents, York Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Angus Macdonald said Oakley’s wicked crimes had had a devastating effect on his many victims, some of whom were thinking of leaving the area because their lives had been shattered.
The heavily-convicted house raider, who has many convictions for burglary dating back more than 20 years, was on bail at the time his latest spree after being arrested for drug-supply offences.
He appeared at York Crown Court for sentence last week after admitting two counts of burglary, two of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and one count of possessing a Class C drug.
Five other burglary charges were taken into consideration by the court but were not part of the indictable offences.
These included raids on homes in Victoria Street, Castle Road and Sandringham Street in which Oakley is said to have stolen mobile phones, laptops, a mountain bike, watches, DVDs, rings, an iPhone, PlayStation, bank card and other items worth £1,225.
Mr Macdonald said Oak- ley was initially arrested on March 19 last year after police swooped on his flat in Kealia Court, Scarborough, and found 690mg of heroin and two illegal prescription tablets.
Oakley, latterly of North Marine Road, embarked on his burglary spree in June last year, when he raided a couple’s home in Sandringham Street after sneaking in through an unlocked door.
He stole a wallet, PlayStation, rucksack. Defence barrister Andrew Semple said Oakley had a difficult background and was “blighted by drug use”.
Oakley had been remanded in custody since his arrest last year and was on a methadone programme to try to wean him off heroin, but he still “struggled with a dreadful addiction”, added Mr Semple.
Judge Paul Batty QC described Oakley’s criminal record as “appalling and depressing” and branded him a “career burglar”.
He jailed him for five years and four months.