A would-be burglar has been locked
up after police found a text message he sent before trying to break into a
house which read: 'I've told you 20 times - don't ring me when I'm out
robbing'.
Dozy Stuart Gibbs was caught hiding
in a shed behind the house in Leicester after a vigilant resident contacted
police when she two men acting suspiciously in a neighbour's garden.
Officers found the incriminating
message, which had been sent earlier that day, when they checked his phone
after he was discovered.
The 24-year-old father-of-two was
jailed for 18 months at Leicester Crown Court after admitting attempted
burglary on March 20.
He also pleaded guilty to a string
of other offences including dangerous driving, driving when disqualified,
handling stolen goods and possessing cannabis.
The court heard how Gibbs, of
Leicester, was arrested after police were alerted by a nearby resident who saw
two men in a neighbour's garden at 8.45pm.
Officers arrived at the house in the
Belgrave area of the city, which belonged to a man in his 70s who was away on
holiday, to find a back door had been smashed, causing £400 of damage, although
nothing had been taken.
Alan Murphy, prosecuting, said: 'The
police found the defendant hiding in a shed nearby. Glass fragments on his
gloves matched those from the broken window.'
He added Gibbs had sent the text
message around two hours earlier.
Gibbs also admitted dangerously
driving a Mazda, driving when disqualified and handling a stolen laptop and
iPod.
Mr Murphy, prosecuting, said those offences, committed on June 9, arose when Gibbs failed to stop for the police.
He was travelling towards Leicester
on the A50 and sped through several red lights during a police pursuit.
Gibbs veered onto the wrong side of
the road and drove over the limit before eventually abandoned the vehicle
nearby.
An off-duty police community support officer then saw Gibbs discard a bag under a bush, containing a laptop, as well as an iPod with his fingerprints on.
The court heard they had been
stolen, by persons unknown, the night before in a house burglary in Leicester.
Gibbs further pleaded guilty to
driving a motorcycle when disqualified and without insurance on June 17, and
possessing a small amount of cannabis on September 30.
Judge Simon Hammond told Gibbs how
the elderly victim of the attempted break-in had been left feeling
'vulnerable'.
He told Gibbs he appreciated a prison sentence would cause 'hurt' to his partner and two children, 'especially at Christmas time'.
Gibbs' previous convictions include seven thefts, two offences of dangerous driving, five of driving when disqualified and two of handling stolen goods.
James Varley, defending, said: 'He doesn't have any previous convictions for burglary.
'He can't explain the text message and it doesn't reflect the situation or his antecedent history.'
Gibbs was several hours late attending court for sentence, because he was saying 'farewell' to his partner and children, aged five months and two years.
Mr Varley said: 'It's particularly hard for him going into custody at this time of year.'
He was jailed for a total of 18 months and banned from driving for 18 months.
Dailymail.co.uk
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