Bewdley burglar jailed (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Bewdley burglar jailed

8:11am Monday 14th May 2012 in Bewdley

A BURGLAR who startled a young woman when he broke into her mother's home in Bewdley and stole £120 has been jailed for three years.

Worcester Crown Court was told that it was the third burglary conviction of 22 -year-old Craig Yeomans, of Dry Mill Lane, Bewdley.

Recorder Graham Cliff said he had no alternative but to impose imprisonment under the three-strike rule for domestic burglary.

Yeomans, who pleaded not guilty to breaking into the house in Hop Pole Lane, Bewdley on October 3 last year, was convicted by a 10-2 majority after the jury of five men and seven women had been out for nearly five hours.

The Recorder said that Yeomans had a propensity for burglary and had similar convictions in 2008 and 2009. Kathryn Parmenter was in bed when she was disturbed by a noise at 9am. He mother had just left for work. It was a split-level bedroom and she was able to see the intruder from the top of the stairs as he left.

She picked out Yeomans on an identity parade. He said he thought it was his grandmother's house and he was intending to arrange a surprise party for her.

He also claimed that he was injured from playing football the previous day but he was seen to cycle away and police found a bike at an address in Rifle Range Road, Kidderminster, soon afterwards.

Recorder Cliff said that Yeomans, who had 15 convictions for 28 offences, had thrown away a £270-a-week job with a Kidderminster skip firm. The burglary had been extremely frightening for the young woman.