Boozed-up burglar blundered into Sutton pensioner’s home after works do

Jarolslaw Bacherycz blundered through unlocked patio doors at the address on Stoneyford Road, Stanton Hill, at 1.30am, on August 2, 2020.

The woman, who lives alone, was woken by a noise and went downstairs to investigate, prosecutor Lucky Thandi said.

She found floor-length curtains had been ripped from the rail, an ornament that belonged to her late mother was smashed, and the key to the patio door was missing.

A neighbour from the Miners Arms pub heard a man howling and banging on a door, then saw Bacherycz running off. He gave chase and caught up with him about 200 metres up the road. He was joined by his mother-in-law who asked the defendant: "What are you doing?"

Bacherycz said: "I'm a looking for a shop," before fist-bumping the neighbour. He was found half an hour later by police and denied committing any offence.

The defendant claimed he was at a party with work colleagues and said he couldn't remember entering the property. He offered to pay for any damages and admitted he had been drunk.

Nottingham Crown Court heard he has eight previous convictions, most of which relate to shoplifting, and he received a suspended sentence for possession of cocaine and an offensive weapon in December 2020.

Almas Ben-Aribia, mitigating, said his motive was “not readily identifiable” but his mother had died three days before

"Emotions were running high," she said. "He hadn't touched alcohol for six or seven years. Sadly that evening he reached for the bottle."

She said it was possible the defendant, who works in a furniture assembly warehouse, was trying to gain access to the pub.

Bacherycz, 33, of Union Street, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to burglary via a Polish interpreter.

Recorder William Harbage QC said: "It has all the hallmarks of a drunken escapade - on impulse rather than planned.

"It must have been a very disturbing and frightening experience for her. I will suspend the sentence because of the unusual facts of the case."

On Thursday, he imposed an eight-month sentence, suspended for one year, with a one-month curfew from 8pm-6am, and ordered Bacherycz to pay £535 costs.

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