A MAN burgled a sports centre by entering through doors damaged in an earlier break-in.
Lee Jones, remanded in Hewell prison, pleaded guilty at Redditch Magistrates’ Court on September 21 and was sentenced on Tuesday (October 13) for stealing from Arrow Vale Sports Centre.
Mark Soper, prosecuting, said the fire-exit doors had been damaged during a break-in on September 11. Eight days later at 5.20am the alarm went off again, police arriving to see Jones trying to leave through the broken doors.
The officers found £3.10 and tools belonging to the sports centre on him. The court also heard that Jones had caused £100 of damage to the till to get the money.
Defence solicitor, Ian Patterson, said: “He was trying to get home when he saw the fire exit doors were damaged and ajar.
“His intention was to find money. He looked in the till and found the bags of coins and the alarm was activated.
“He currently lives with his partner and claims benefits. They were in the process of making a joint claim which reuslted in his payments being suspended before re-allocation of his share of the joint claim. So this had a significant impact on their finances.”
Chair of the bench, John Stanley, gave Jones an eight week prison sentence, suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to complete a 25 day rehabilitation requirement and 80 hours of unpaid work.
Jones also owes the court £145 in prosecution costs, a £180 court charge, £80 victim surcharge and £100 compensation.