TWO would-be burglars who unsuccessfully tried to break into two substantial Georgian properties in the centre of Warwick in the middle of the night have escaped being jailed.
Anthony Reed and Connor Fanthome pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to two charges of attempted burglary at houses in Gerrard Street.
But despite being night-time burglaries of occupied houses, they escaped with 12-month prison sentences suspended for 18 months and were ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work each.
In addition Reed, 20, of no fixed address, but who has lived in the Warwick area, was ordered to take part in a Behaviour programme; while Fanthome, 21, who had lived in Warwick but now of Burnsall Road, Coventry, was told to take part in a Thinking Skills programme.
Prosecutor Ian Ball said around midnight on January 28 a man was at home at his flat in Gerrard Street when he heard a noise outside his door.
When he went to the door the person outside asked whether Tom was there, but then left when the occupier said he was going to call the police.
At 2am a man living in a nearby three-storey detached Georgian house was woken by his young child, and saw to the child before returning to bed – unaware an attempt had been made to break into his home.
But when he got up a few hours later he found a gate had been opened and there were scuff marks where someone had tried to force open the patio doors, as well as similar marks to the front door.
Meanwhile across the road a couple were in bed at their Georgian home, where they were having work carried out which had led to scaffolding being erected at the rear of the property.
They heard noises soon after midnight, so the husband got up to investigate and through the landing window he could see two figures on the flat roof outside.
The indignant householder shouted at them and they made off.
Mr Ball added both men had ‘pretty extensive’ previous convictions, with Reed having 81 convictions including one for burglary when he was just 11 and 29 for theft, while Fanthome had 21 convictions including 11 thefts.
Jonathan Coode, for Reed, said he had never been in employment and conceded he had ‘an unenviable record’, while Hugh Williams, for Fanthome, said it was different to the petty offending he had been involved in before.
