A burglar caught red-handed as he broke into a Carlisle flat – months after he was seen waving a machete around on a street – has been given a suspended prison sentence.
On the afternoon of April 9 last year, one witness saw 26-year-old Dylan Barnes walking along Priory Road towards Dowbeck Road with a machete in his hand.
A second bystander reported that Barnes appeared unable to walk in a straight line, and was waving and slicing the weapon in the air, Carlisle Crown Court heard today.
Some serious disorder had occurred moments before, and police called to the scene found Barnes had an eye injury and was bleeding.
Officers went to his Dowbeck Road home and the machete was recovered. Barnes was bailed and then released under investigation.
But he was back in trouble on April 13 this year when a Carlisle resident saw Barnes using an implement to force his way into a neighbouring ground floor property.
This was unoccupied but police caught Barnes at the scene with a balaclava and amphetamine in his possession, along with medication and jewellery belonging to the female tenant.
She was not present at the time because she was waiting for repairs to be carried out. In an impact statement she spoke of her privacy being invaded and feeling unsafe about returning to the address.
Prosecutor Verity Quaite told the court as she summarised the statement: “She is three months’ pregnant and dreads to think what would have happened if she had been in the flat when it was broken into.”
Barnes admitted illegally having a bladed article in public, burglary and possessing a class B controlled drug. He was battling a drug addition at the time of his offending, and at a low ebb amid very difficult and challenging events in his life.
Time spent remanded in custody had been needed, said his lawyer, and been used constructively. “He is completely clean from drugs and looking forward to the prospect of returning to his family and not negative associates,” said Mark Shepherd, mitigating.
Sentencing judge, His Honour Garrett Byrne, told Barnes he had committed serious offences.
But he accepted the defendant’s genuine remorse, noted he had demonstrated he could stay out of trouble for lengthy periods of time and concluded there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
Taking what he said was an exceptional course, Judge Byrne suspended a 16-month prison sentence for two years.
Barnes must carry out work with the probation service for up to 15 days and complete a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement.
