A prolific Whitehaven crook who burgled a family’s home while they slept has been jailed for almost three years.
Five people – including a child – were inside the three-storey Monkwray Road property during the night of June 24 last year. A female occupant woke in the morning to discover the break-in and that her handbag, containing a watch and two cash cards, had been stolen.
By chance, Carlisle Crown Court heard, police called at Mark Clark’s home the same morning to speak with him about an unrelated matter. Items of the victim’s property were found at his address. It was also discovered he‘d texted a pal on the day of the crime to say he had “just done a sneak into a house”.
The householder had stated: “I never expected anyone to come into our home. I feel worried now that anyone could enter.”
Clark admitted burglary when he appeared in court this morning over a video link from custody, where he is already serving a 44-month jail term for an attempted robbery. This occurred at a Whitehaven convenience store last July, when he was thwarted by a brave store assistant.
Sean Harkin, for Clark, said of the burglary: “He wants to pass on to the court that he is sorry for what he has done.”
Clark, previously of George Street in the town, was jailed for 876 days by Judge Nicholas Barker, who noted he had numerous previous offences for burglary, dishonesty and theft on his record.
Judge Barker observed the victim had been “annoyed and upset” for leaving a window open. But Judge Barker said: “She shouldn’t. Despite the fact that a window was left open, it is not an invitation. A homeowner is entitled to leave a window open in the knowledge that their home is secured.”
