Back to jail for burglar who had succeeded in 'turning his life around'

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Harold Dann had served several prison sentences for burglary but after his last conviction six years ago he became a reformed character.

But after losing his job helping other criminals, and suffering family difficulties including the death of two sisters, he became depressed and went back to taking drugs and offending.

He was spotted by police carrying bags of stolen property along Pensby Road, Pensby, on the evening of March 30 and when they approached him he ran off but was chased and caught.

Dann, 52, frankly said, "I have done a burglary" and admitted breaking into a house in Kylemore Drive and Fishers Lane, both in Pensby and stealing property including computer equipment, jewellery and electrical items.

While on remand in prison he told police he had carried out other break-ins and on a tour around the same area pointed out seven out homes he had raided over the previous four months.

Jailing him for three years the judge Recorder Mark Ainsworth said that he was keeping the sentence relatively short because of his mitigation and his attempts on remand to turn his life round.

He accepted that Dann only went back to drugs and crime the month after losing his job as a worker in a hostel helping released prisoners and after his family problems.

But he pointed out that although no one was in the Fishers Lane property the occupant of the Kylemore Drive house had gone to bed early and was asleep at the time. "I must take into account the distress caused to householders by offences of this nature."

Dann, of Plane Tree Road, Bebington, pleaded guilty to two burglaries and had seven burglaries taken into consideration.

Gerald Pachter, defending, said Dann had been very frank and admitted to police "I'm bang to rights." He confessed to the earlier break-ins explaining, "I wish to clear my conscience as I feel guilty."