Former computer programmer breaks into family home and traumatises teenage girl
A teenage girl returning home from a family trip was horrified to open the door of her south Shropshire house and come face-to-face with a wandering computer programmer-turned-burglar who had been staying there illegally.
Argentinian Masters-educated Guido Sofer had got into the house in Church Stretton while the family was away and set up a tent to stay the night, also taking food from the fridge - a day after burgling another house in the town.
Shrewsbury Crown Court heard that Sofer had been travelling around the country for six months having taken time off work as a programmer. His barrister told the court that he had been living in Britain since 2019 and has no fixed address.
The 13-year-old girl who discovered him in her home was traumatised by the encounter and stayed with friends for the next few days, feeling unable to sleep in her own home, the court heard on Thursday.
Prosecutor Mr Kevin Jones said: "On May 29 the family left for an overnight trip. The father and daughter returned the next morning.
"The daughter went to open the front door while the father unloaded the car.
"The father then heard her scream, saying 'there's someone in the kitchen'.
"He describes her as extremely upset. He told her to go to the car and call the police while he went to have a look."
When he confronted the man inside, Guido Sofer, he saw that he had a tent and had been sleeping in the house.
