A BURGLAR climbed through the window of a ground-floor flat and stole a haul of possessions while his victims were asleep in the home.

Connor Jacob Matthews trespassed in the early hours at the property in Columbia Road, Ensbury Park, before cycling off with a pair of headphones, a watch, jewellery, keys, a wallet, a photograph and woman’s underwear.

The previous day Matthews, took keys for an outbuilding from the porch of a property in nearby Kinson Road and stolen a mini motorbike.

Judge Stephen Climie sentenced the 19-year-old defendant to 14 months’ imprisonment at a Bournemouth Crown Court hearing on Friday, October 14.

The judge said the defendant had a “troubled background” and he continued to struggle significantly with his mental health.

“That of course in no way excuses breaking into people’s homes and stealing their property,” Judge Climie said.

The judge said there was always significant distress caused to victim’s of domestic burglaries.

Bournemouth Echo:

Prosecuting, Francisca Da Costa said the victim of the Kinson Road burglary kept keys to her outbuilding in the porch of the home.

Ring doorbell footage showed the defendant “creeping” up to the property towards the porch in the night with a torch in hand, the court heard. Matthews entered the porch, took the key and accessed the outbuilding before taking the mini motorbike, which belonged to the homeowner’s son.

Ms Da Costa said the offender was identified from the footage and a member of staff at the supported accommodation block he was living in at the time saw him with the motorbike, which was recovered at a later date.

The home burglary took place in the early hours on March 28. The couple who lived at the address were asleep when the defendant was seen on CCTV on a bicycle and stopping outside the property.

The prosecutor said he opened and climbed through the ground floor window and exited the same way.

In the morning, the couple discovered there had been an untidy search of their home and called police. Meanwhile, a member of staff at Matthews’s accommodation saw he had items which did not belong to him and called the force as he believed he had been offending. The defendant was arrested on the same day.

The victims of the second burglary attended a police station and identified some of their possessions, which had been seized from the defendant.

Matthews, of Widget Close, Bournemouth, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary at an earlier hearing.

Mitigating, Kevin Hill said his client had severe mental health problems.

After issuing the custodial sentence, Judge Climie warned the defendant that further dwelling burglaries could see him become a “three striker”, which attracts a minimum of three years’ imprisonment.

Due to the time the defendant has spent remanded in custody, he was likely to be released in a matter of weeks, the court heard.

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