Man burgled ex-girlfriend’s home in bid to recover his belongings

Jack Heslop smashed a window and entered the house but was disturbed before he could take anything.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 33-year-old left a hammer at the scene of the raid, in South Shields, when he fled on June 15 last year.

Heslop, of Oak Crescent, Whitburn, pleaded guilty to burglary and has been held in custody on remand since last June.

The victim did not support the prosecution.

Vic Laffey, defending, told the court: "He went around to the house in order to recover his own belongings, which are actually still at the house and he has never managed to recover them."

Mr Laffey said Heslop has never been to prison before, "has no wish at all to repeat it" and has worked well with the authorities.

Mr Recorder Richard Wright QC sentenced Heslop to a community order for two years with programme and rehabilitation requirements and 180 hours unpaid work.

The judge told him: "You are someone who has learned a lesson by being in custody and someone willing to engage with the probation service in the community in the hope of putting this sort of stupid behaviour behind them."