A burglar caught red-handed with his neighbour’s stolen bank card after returning to the scene of his crime has been given a three-year prison sentence.
Concerns had been expressed by the Moor Row householder and his partner about sightings of 30-year-old Paul Carr around their property.
On September 22, the woman left the house at 7.30am and the man stayed in bed. It was believed the back door had not been locked.
At around noon, the man went to his wallet and found pounds, euros and a bank card was missing. Three hours later he checked his bank account and learned the balance had dropped by more than £100.
As the man made phone calls soon after, he heard the back door and saw Carr had appeared in his kitchen.
“Mr Carr appeared oblivious to him,” Gerard Rogerson, prosecuting, told Carlisle Crown Court today. The man confronted him angrily, saying he knew he had taken his stuff. He took hold of Mr Carr, patted him down and found his card in Mr Carr’s pocket.”
Carr said something about believed the man would not mind if he bought tobacco. It emerged had made two fraudulent transactions at Bigrigg’s Spar shop.
Carr left and the man later made an impact statement detailing his concern about his privacy being invaded. “My children could have been in the house,” he said. “You should feel like you are able to be safe in your own house and able leave your doors open.”
After Carr was arrested, newly-purchased clothing — an Under Armour T-shirt and Adidas shorts — which had been stolen from another man were found in Carr’s home. He later admitted burglary, fraud by false representation and handling stolen goods.
The court heard Carr had 155 past offences on his record, including 45 for theft and dishonesty. He had been handed a lengthy jail term in 2019 after being caught twice on camera as he broke into two Whitehaven addresses just minutes apart.
Kim Whittlestone, defending, spoke of Carr’s mental health difficulties and schizophrenia diagnosis three years ago, although he was now stable in custody and receiving assistance.
“He finds custody to be a safe place,” she said. “Mr Carr has asked me to indicate in open court that he is extremely sorry for his behaviour. He liked his neighbours. He wishes them well. He would like to apology passed on to them. He won’t be returning to that address.”
Recorder Peter Horgan jailed Carr, of no fixed address, for three years, saying of the burglary victim’s statement: “He rightly says you should be able to sleep well whilst you are in your own house.”
