DNA clues led to conviction of burglar (From York Press)

Marc Griffiths convicted of burglary due to DNA evidence

8:04am Wednesday 31st October 2012 in News By Jennifer Bell, Crime reporter

A BURGLAR who broke into two York homes when drunk has been jailed after DNA evidence led to his conviction.

Marc Griffiths, 23, was visiting a student friend when he came to the city in August this year - but on two drunken escapades broke into separate homes in Blossom Street and Lower Ebor Street in York.

York Crown Court heard how Griffiths targeted the first-floor flat in Blossom Street while the occupants were on holiday between August 2 and August 17 and stole a mobile phone from the property.

The court heard that Griffiths had broken into the flat through a window when his blood was later found.

In a separate burglary, on August 8, Griffiths broke into a student house on Ebor Street and stole £3-worth of frozen food from a freezer. Again his blood was later found at the property.

Griffiths was later arrested after police matched his DNA to both burglaries. He confessed to both crimes but told officers that he had been so drunk he had little recollection of either burglary.

Julian Tanikal, for Griffiths, told the court that when his client had targeted the Ebor Street property he had found himself lost in York and was simply “hungry”. “That was his motivation,” he said, adding that on the other occasion Griffiths had been so drunk he could not remember the burglary.

“These we very unsophisticated burglaries, as is evident by the fact that he left his DNA at both properties,” he said. “This man has made two very bad decisions while inebriated by alcohol.”

Griffiths had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of burglary and a further count of failing to surrender.

Sentencing Griffith, of Milliard Drive, Milton Keynes, the Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, told him that he had not learned from a previous burglary conviction in 2004. “I think you have to learn the hard way,” said the judge, sentencing him to nine months in prison.