‘Spiteful’ burglar broke into ex-partner's Sutton home and stole ‘daft’ items to inconvenience her
A "spiteful" burglar who took the end of a relationship badly broke into his ex-partner's Sutton home to steal “daft” items that would inconvenience her, a court has heard.
Christopher Salmon was parked outside when the woman left her West End home at 4.20pm on February 21 last year, said Jonathon Dee, prosecuting.
"He beeped his horn to let her know he was there which makes what he did all the more surprising," he told Nottingham Crown Court.
Salmon damaged a kitchen window and stole "daft" items like "hair extensions and items of clothing" in a bid “to cause inconvenience."
“It was burglary for the sake of burglary,” Mr Dee said. “It was a way of getting back at her.
"Clearly the police had an obvious suspect and that was confirmed because his fingerprints were found at the scene and he damaged the drain pipe to gain access or escape.”
Salmon denied the offence to police and made no comment when he was interviewed before returning the items to her shortly afterwards.
“The main aggravating feature is his history of behaving badly when relationships break up,” Mr Salmon added.
Chris Brewin, mitigating, said the defendant had suffered bereavements and was undergoing mental health issues.
“He wants to get the case dealt with so he can get back into work,” he said.
On Wednesday, Judge Michael Auty KC said Salmon “richly deserves to go to prison today,” and “ordinarily it would have been 16 months.”
“This really, genuinely is your last chance,” he told him. “There is a lot in your life which is not your fault, but unfortunately life deals you with it whatever it does and you have to learn to deal with it.”
He said his actions caused “misery, suffering and needless distress” and he would be “entirely justified in sending you to prison to day,” but Salmon would be “embittered” on his release and likely to reoffend.
Salmon, aged 36, of Queens Street, Somercotes, pleaded guilty to burglary in November.
On Wednesday, he received a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for two years, with up to 20 rehabilitation days, a 31-day Making Better Choices programme, and 180 hours of unpaid work for the benefit of the community. A restraining order was also imposed for five years.