A burly thief spotted trying to barge down the door of a block of flats in Huddersfield has had his jail term cut by 60% on appeal.
Heavily built repeat offender, Peter Saville, was seen by a sharp-eyed member of the public trying to use his brute strength to gain entry to flats in North Road, Kirkburton, on January 12 last year.
Saville, 38, who was on licence from a jail term for burglary at the time of the attempted break-in, was arrested near the scene by cops.
Saville, of Bradley Boulevard, Sheepridge – who has 22 previous convictions for theft – was jailed for two and a half years.
He pleaded guilty to attempted burglary at Leeds Crown Court and was sentenced on July 14 last year.
Yesterday Sir Brian Leveson, sitting at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, cut that sentence to just 12 months, despite bemoaning Saville’s “appalling” criminal record.
The court heard that Saville was seen trying the door of the flats, then attempting to use a powerful “shoulder barge” to knock the door through.
Sir Brian, sitting with Mrs Justice Patterson and Mrs Justice Whipple, said he was on licence at the time.
But Mrs Justice Whipple said he deserved a big cut and allowing the appeal said: “This was merely an attempt and it was not sustained. He attempted to gain entry by a single shoulder barge to the outer door.
“Bearing in mind this offender’s terrible record for similar crimes and the fact that he was on licence, the sentence had to be one of immediate custody.
“But a sentence of 12 months would have been appropriate and, to that extent, this appeal is allowed.”
