Jailed: Telford burglar stole widow's treasured ring and ransacked his partner's home

Gavin Akeroyd, also known as Gavin Stokes, was still taking electronics from the woman's house when she returned home from work and saw him.

He even took prescription glasses from the widow's home, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard on Tuesday.

On a separate earlier occasion, Akeroyd had ransacked the house of a woman he had been sleeping with after she went away to work for several days.

This week Akeroyd, 37, was sentenced for both the burglary of his neighbour, in July last year, and the thefts from the other woman, in August of 2019.

Prosecutor Mr Simon Parry told the court that on July 2 last year, a woman returned to her home at Charlecote Park in Telford after work to find two men carrying her television.

They were challenged and one threatened: "It's ours, we'll machete you."

Akeroyd, who was among them, was arrested after the car he tried to get into left without him.

Kylie Williams, 32, was also arrested at the scene, found wearing jewellery that had been taken. Another resident of Charlecote Park, she was due to be sentenced alongside Akeroyd for the burglary but has developed symptoms of Covid-19 so did not attend court.

Impact

The court heard that the burglary had a big impact on the victim's emotional health and social activity. In a statement she said: "I no longer feel safe or secure. I'm unable to sleep at night, I'm having to take time off work for various matters as a result of this crime."

In the same hearing, Mr Parry told the court that the previous year Akeroyd was trusted with a key to the Horsehay home of a woman he was in a relationship with.

She left him in charge of the key when she travelled to Worcester, where she would stay for several days at a time.

She became wary when he did not answer her calls and decided to drive back early, but spoke with him on the phone halfway.

He convinced her to go back to Worcester because coming home would be a sign that she didn't trust him, Mr Parry told the court.

When she did eventually return home, she found that her £550 television, her £500 computer, her £130 camera, £87 of perfume and many more valuables had gone.

The victim also gave a statement, saying that she had trouble sleeping and had moved house as a result.

Mental health

Miss Debra White, for Akeroyd, said that he had been made homeless at the age of 15 and began taking class A drugs soon afterwards.

She said that he had "severe mental health issues" but that he could benefit from support.

Judge Peter Barrie said: "I have to deal with you for two very unpleasant offences that you committed against single women in their own homes, in each case stealing really anything that might be of value."

He noted Akeroyd's mental health issues but said that many people with similar issues are able to avoid committing crimes and hurting people.

Judge Barrie handed down a sentence of three years for the burglary, and a concurrent sentence of 32 weeks for the 2019 theft, meaning a total sentence of three years.

The latest offence was Akeroyd's 'third strike" domestic burglary, carrying an automatic sentence of at least three years.