A man has been jailed – and two others given suspended sentences – for stealing a cockapoo puppy while one was armed with a baseball bat
Peter Woolaghan, 24, of Kinniside Place, Cleator Moor, Naomi Doran, 32, of Kinniside Place, Cleator Moor and Sophie Kennedy, 30, of Leswick Avenue, Whitehaven, were found guilty following a six-day trial last month.
At Carlisle Crown Court yesterday, Woolaghan was sentenced to four years in prison and Doran and Kennedy were each sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for 18 months.
The court heard police received a call from a friend of the victim reporting the incident.
Doran, Woolaghan and Kennedy let themselves into the house via a backdoor, and shouted at the victim.
Kennedy then pulled a baseball bat threatening the victim and swinging the bat in the victim’s direction.
Woolaghan has removed the cockapoo puppy from its crate where it was with its mother.
They then left the property with Doran popping the puppy under her T-shirt. They got into a vehicle and drove off.
Police found them and arrested them for aggravated burglary.
The puppy was found at a house at Ennerdale Terrace in Whitehaven where the trio had left the puppy asking the occupant to look after it.
Detective Constable Alex Chalker said “The defendants committed this offence with the intention of threatening the victim with the baseball bat and even swinging it at the victim.
“No one should feel unsafe in their own homes.
“It is our commitment to ensure those who commit burglary offences are prosecuted.”
