Homeless men admit house break-in

Two homeless teenagers have admitted committing burglary at a Mansfield house - stealing copper piping which caused the building to flood.
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Michael Addison (18) and Mitchell John Francis Gray (19), both of no fixed abode, appeared before Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 3rd July charged with burglary.

The court was told that a neighbour had alerted police after he heard noises in the empty house in Sherwood Hall Road, and water coming from the building on Wednesday 18th June.

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Officers attended the address and both Addison and Gray were detained at the scene - showing police where they had hidden the copper piping.

The court heard that Addison had been living rough since falling out with his father and had left the family home at Jackson Terrace, Meden Vale.

He also admitted a charge of shop theft on Thursday 19th June, but the court heard that he had no previous convictions and had recently “fallen in with the wrong crowd”, the court heard.

His case was adjourned for three weeks at the request of the probation service, to allow Addison to settle into hostel accommodation so he can be properly assessed.

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The court heard that Gray had been ‘sofa surfing’ at the homes of friends and associates, and had broken into the address when he found himself without anywhere to stay.

It was once he had moved in to the Sherwood Hall property that he decided to steal the copper, the court heard.

Gray, who is currently serving a 38-week sentence for a dwelling burglary appeared at the court via video link.

Magistrates added a further 12 weeks to his existing sentence for the copper theft.

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