Burglar looking for place to stay
A HOMELESS man told to sleep in Northampton's Abington Park after being released from police custody broke into a nearby home moments later, a court heard.
Robert Keene, aged 43, smashed his way into a house but then called police himself because he had nowhere to stay over Christmas.
Officers had arrested him on December 28 when Keene, formerly of Colwyn Road, Kingsley, Northampton, was seen breaking a window at the Jesus Army Centre in Abington Square.
But when he was later released, it was claimed the police dropped him off in Abington Park as Keene was homeless at the time.
He then broke into a home across the road in Park Avenue South by smashing a door window, cutting himself in the process.
Clive Sutton, prosecuting at Northampton Crown Court, said: "At about 1.30am, the police received a phone call in their control room which was, in fact, from the defendant who said he was not in his own house and had done an extremely bad thing.
"The officers went round and could see Keene through the letterbox walking around the house, bleeding and carrying a large knife.
"An officer was able to incapacitate Keene with spray before the occupants, who were upstairs at the time, dropped the house keys from a window."
Recorder Christopher Tickle said: "The sentence is one of 12 months which I regard as merciful.
"If I thought this was a determined attempt to commit burglary the sentence would be measured in years rather than months. But I am satisfied you were, as usual, drunk and homeless and had not got any support.
"You went into that house intending to get food and shelter but with complete disregard for the homeowners."
Keene pleaded guilty to damaging the Jesus Army centre, burglary and affray.
Steven Evans, defending, said: "The offences speak for themselves. He was dropped off by the police in Abington Park and he says that he was told he would have to find somewhere to sleep.
"It was against that background that he broke into the house.
"This was a man who was at crisis point over the Christmas period and effectively homeless.
"This is not the most sophisticated offence or a classic, premeditated burglary. This was a survivalistic offence."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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