A man has been given a suspended prison sentence after he burgled a friend’s home in Newsome while he was away.
The victim of the offence had given another friend a key to go in to his address in Lockwood Scar and feed his pet dog while he was not at home.
Bashir Ahmed prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court that Matthew Smith had asked that person to borrow the key but was refused.
However on February 9 when that person went to the flat he discovered a broken window in the ground floor kitchen and a number of electrical items worth £560 had been stolen.
Blood discovered at the scene was later linked through DNA to Smith. A stereo speaker which was among the stolen items was also found to have been sold to Cash Converters.
The court heard at a previous hearing that Smith had long standing drug problem but had since engaged with Narcotics Anonymous.
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Chris Smith representing Smith said he had worked for Royal Mail for 13 weeks but knew his time was up there when they did a CRB check and found out about his record.
He had enjoyed the work and had written to the court asking if he could do unpaid work for the community which would give him structure in his life.
“He knows if he is busy and occupied he is not doing silly things like abusing substances and drinking.”
Smith, 22 of Bradley Boulevard, Huddersfield admitted the burglary and was given 12 months in prison suspended for 12 months with a drug rehabilitation requirement for nine months, 20 days activity requirement and 120 hours unpaid work.
Judge Rodney Jameson QC said he had a bad record and having obtained a job which he had then lost because of his history he had “relapsed into drug use.”
