A BURGLAR caught red-handed as he broke into a caravan outside a man’s home near Carlisle has been jailed for 14 months.
The city’s crown court heard today (THURS) how a drug debt lay behind Steven Jordan’s crime on January 22 last year.
Prosecutor Zoe Dawson told how the householder returned to his Aglionby property with his partner at around 7pm and noted a caravan door appeared to be ajar.
On hearing banging noises he urged his partner to go inside and lock the door, before seeing a man – 43-year-old Jordan – exit the area and try to flee. “There were numerous brambles in that area. It appears the defendant was prevented from escaping by virtue of the brambles,” said Ms Dawson.
Jordan was wearing a woolly hat and head torch. He was carrying gloves and a rucksack which contained a Stanley knife and pliers. Nothing was reported stolen from the caravan.
Jordan, of Borland Avenue, Carlisle, admitted burglary and was said to have a long list of dishonesty and theft crimes – including non-dwelling break-ins – on his record.
Jeff Smith, defending, spoke of Jordan’s lengthy association with offending and drugs, and a debt accrued through the latter which led to his home being attacked.
“He fled on his bike to the Aglionby area,” said Mr Smith. “He was able to escape from people who were pursuing him. It was there that the offending arose.
“He didn’t set out that evening to offend, but he did offend and he concedes that.”
Jailing Jordan, Judge Nicholas Barker accepted there was no violence used by him when he and the victim met.
But Judge Barker stated: “There was, nevertheless, a confrontation between you and the homeowner, and that is a disturbing matter.”
