Man returned home to pick up wallet and discovered Romanian 'squatter' family had moved in
A homeowner who forgot his wallet returned home to find a Romanian family had moved into his Northampton house, a court heard.
Mihai and Laura Dediu were in the process of moving his possession out of the cupboards when they were confronted by the angry occupant.
Northampton Crown Court heard how the couple, who had their young child with them, had been told they could move into the house in Hamsterley Park, Southfields, and squat there as it had been empty for some while.
However, it was still owned and occupied when they forced their way in on December 7.
Judge Richard Bray said: "The owner comes back at 5pm and there's an unknown car parked in his drive and the lights to the house are on.
"He goes in and finds these two defendants and, wait for it, a young child. We're going back to Dickensian times it appears.
"When challenged, the defendants say they own the property and are just moving in and that the male defendant was going to alter the locks as part of that process.
"Then an unidentified person attends to take the child away. What's going on here?"
Ben Gow, defending, said the couple had trouble paying their rent and had been told "by a man they met in a shop", that they could live at the address. Charged with burglary, they pleaded not guilty, maintaining they had no intention of dishonesty or stealing.
Michael Waterfield, prosecuting, said: "It may have been that's what the defendants were told, but once they got into the house, they would certainly have realised it was still occupied. They were taking clothes from the cupboards."
Judge Bray added: "This is a bizarre case. I must be the most experienced person in this building for burglary and in 26 years, I cannot remember a case where burglars have taken a young child with them to carry out the burglary. I really can't."
After the judge urged both prosecution and defence to reconsider their positions, Mihai Dediu, aged 30, and his 24-year-old wife Laura, now of Great Gull Crescent, Southfields, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the locks and windows and the burglary charge against them was dropped.
Judge Bray sentenced them both to 12- month community orders with 100 hours community service.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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