[A] CRIMINAL who broke into the garage of a family’s Workington home as children slept inside the property has been jailed.
Police were contacted by the youngsters’ mother, who was woken just before 4am on October 4 by noises from beneath her bedroom. She heard officers who responded shout “stop there” to 42-year-old Gary Petre, who had removed a bike and tent from her garage.
Petre emerged from inside after police “red-dotted” him with a Taser-style device, and was detained.
The householder later told police she was “shaken up but OK”, her main concern having been for her children.
At Carlisle Crown Court today (FRI) Petre – a man with 99 previous crimes on his record – was sentenced having admitted a non-dwelling burglary. He had also admitted a previous theft from a shop.
Petre, of Newland Gardens, Workington, was in breach of two previously imposed community orders when he committed the offences.
He was given a 19-month jail term by Recorder Andrew Jefferies QC, and stormed out of the back door of the dock, yelling obscenities, while sentence was being passed.
