Burglar, 17, spared jail (From York Press)

Burglar, 17, spared jail

9:20am Monday 17th September 2012 in News By Megi Rychlikova, megi.rychlikova@thepress.co.uk

A GIRL who broke into a house while a young family slept upstairs has been spared a term behind bars.

York Crown Court heard that the girl, then aged 16, climbed into the home of a couple and a young baby off Fulford Road after planning the raid with her accomplice Luke Wilkinson, 26. But they were spotted by a neighbour who rang the police.

The family was unaware they had been burgled until the police knocked on their door to return their stolen property. Then they discovered the burglars had left muddy marks in their downstairs room and searched their belongings.

Recorder Paul Watson QC jailed Wilkinson for nine months, but gave the girl, now 17, a two-year rehabilitation order with a two-month nightly curfew and 12-week reparation order. He acknowledged she had had a difficult childhood and noted that York Youth Court had given her a similar order for a robbery carried out before the burglary.

Chris Hassall, prosecuting, said the girl had a previous conviction for burgling commercial premises and Wilkinson had minor convictions for dishonesty but none for burglary.

Wilkinson, of St Stephen’s Road, Acomb , pleaded guilty to burglary on the day of his trial while the girl, also of Acomb, admitted burglary at an earlier hearing.

Mr Hassall said a neighbour spotted the pair shining a torch into the family’s window and alerted police. Officers found the offenders ten minutes later two streets away.

The girl ran off but was caught carrying a computer and camera stolen from the family, as well as three mobile phones, two screwdrivers and the torch. Wilkinson was also arrested. He was carrying wire cutters.

For the girl, Taryn Turner said her client had endured a “pretty abysmal start” to life and was using drugs. She was also mixing with people older than herself. She had spent a month and three weeks in custody on remand.

Since her release on bail, she had settled down. She was doing her best to stay away from drugs and look for employment, she said.

For Wilkinson, Paul Reid said being remanded for three months had “opened his eyes”.

He was supported by his mother and girlfriend and had a job available for him on his release.