Heroin addict stole jewellery from cancer victim's home

A heroin addict stole treasured jewellery from a cancer victim’s home after smashing his way in, a court heard.

Charles Chatterton, 47, of Reginald Road, Scunthorpe, admitted two offences of burglary on August 15.

Andrew Bailey, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court a witness spotted Chatterton hanging around in Aylesby Road, Scunthorpe, and heard banging noises from a house.

Chatterton ran off but a woman discovered her patio doors had been removed and a games console and a television had been stolen.

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The TV was in the garden, covered in a blanket.

The other burglary happened in Willoughby Road, Scunthorpe, where a door had been smashed and entry forced.

A large amount of jewellery, some of it of sentimental value, a jewellery box and power tools, together valued at £1,500, had been taken.

Chatterton was identified from a shoe mark left at the scene, said Mr Bailey.

The daughter of the occupier of the house had been left upset because her mother was suffering from cancer and was in a care home.

The mother was too ill even to provide a statement to the police, added Mr Bailey.

Chatterton had a string of convictions for burglary and had already been recalled to prison after breaching his licence following a 15-month sentence imposed at the same court in July last year for burglary and handling stolen goods.

Nigel Clive, mitigating, said Chatterton had been a heroin addict but paid for it from his earnings as a mechanic until a few weeks before he was arrested.

He slipped into an “emotional spiral” after his parents died and he used heroin to support himself.

He lost his job and became homeless.

Mr Clive said: “He accepts that prison is the best place for him at the moment.”

Chatterton, who had been in custody for three days, was jailed for two years and four months.

Judge David Tremberg said the burglaries showed “determined efforts” and marked a “troubling escalation” in Chatterton’s offending.

He said: “You forced entry to both these premises in a fairly sophisticated way, taking the patio doors off one of the premises.”