Shrewsbury thief raided home of disabled pair
A man who walked into a disabled couple's home and stole a handbag containing cash and bank cards from the living room has been jailed for 15 months.
Shaun Roberts previously stayed at the property, in Monkmoor, Shrewsbury, and knew the layout of the end-of-terraced house.
Householder Denis Hollyhead was sitting in the living room and witnessed the theft, but was unable to stop the defendant.
Roberts, 21, of no fixed address, was found guilty of burglary at the property, in Dymens Meadow, in January following a trial at Shrewsbury Crown Court last month and returned to court for semtence.
The court heard that Mr Hollyhead was confined to the room because of his ill health and there was a bed in the room where his partner had left two handbags.
Mr Robert Edwards, prosecuting, said that Roberts walked into the rear door of the house just after 10pm on January 11 and snatched the black Tollard bag and its contents.
He said that Mr Hollyhead saw the man, recognised and challenged him, but could not stop him leaving.
Roberts, who has a history of drug abuse, had previously offered to do some gardening when he had been in hospital and had later stayed at the house for a few days in December last year.
Mr Stephen Scully, mitigating, told the sentencing hearing on Monday that there had been delays with probation preparing a report on his client, but Roberts had accepted the jury's verdict.
" He has served 144 days in custody which is equivalent to a 10-month sentence. We are reaching the stage where by the time he is sentenced he may have to be released straightaway or shortly afterward," Mr Scully explained.
He said Roberts, who has previous convictions for assault and drug possession, had a difficult childhood and was brought up in care.
"This has in effect been a short sharp shock to him. He has not found being in prison a pleasant experience," Mr Scully added.
Mr Recorder Michael Jackson told Roberts he must serve half of the 15-month term before being released on licence with 12 months supervision. He also made Roberts subject to a restraining order for seven years preventing him from contacting the victims and from entering Dymens Meadow.
"You carefully targeted this house. An aggravating feature is that you were betraying the trust of the people who had befriended you and who were offering you work," Mr Jackson added.
