After he noticed her he ‘ran to neighbouring property and jumped over a fence’, a court heard
An elderly woman was left terrified and in shock after she suddenly discovered to her horror that a furtive-looking man was crouched down outside her front door and “fiddling with the lock” in a bungled bid to break in. Drug user Shaun Garner was desperate to find somewhere to sleep for the night when he tried to do the “horrible thing” of raiding the vulnerable pensioner’s home.
However, an eagle-eyed police officer recognised him from CCTV images, Hull Crown Court heard. Garner, 39, of Lockwood Street, Hull, admitted attempted burglary on June 4.
Hannah Turner, prosecuting, said that a 77-year-old woman was in the kitchen at the rear of her home in east Hull, where she had lived for 38 years, when she heard a rattle at the front door as she walked through to the living room. She looked out of the window and saw a man crouched down at the front door.
“He looked as though he was fiddling with the lock,” said Miss Turner. “He noticed her and ran to neighbouring property and jumped over a fence.” The woman contacted the police and CCTV from a nearby house was checked.
Garner was identified from stills from the footage. The incident badly affected the woman and she was up all night worrying in case someone had the key to the house. She lived alone and had been left anxious.
The woman had changed all the locks, costing about £150, and had bought a doorbell camera, costing £320, after the police recommended this. “It has provided me with peace of mind that I have increased security at my home,” she said.
“I would not wish for this to happen to someone else.” Garner had convictions for 11 previous offences between 2003 and 2008, including two for non-domestic burglary when he was a youth. The later ones were all driving offences.
Samantha Laws, mitigating, said that Garner recognised that the attempted burglary was a “horrible thing” to do to someone. “He didn’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable in their own home,” said Miss Laws.
“He was looking for a place to sleep. The sober him struggles to reconcile that sort of offending that he was involved in. He is very upset that he made someone feel like that in their own home.”
There was limited damage and intrusion. It was still daylight at the time and the attempted burglary was not under the cover of darkness.
Garner lost his job and his home, all within the space of a month, and he struggled to cope. “Unfortunately, he made the decision to turn to substances, culminating in Pregabalin use,” said Miss Laws.
“He can’t remember very much of the incident. He took a considerable amount of Pregabalin. He shows a real willingness to change his life.” He had been out of trouble for most, if not all, of his adult life.
Judge John Thackray KC told Garner: “Some people never recover from their house either being burgled or someone attempting to burgle their home. They forever feel nervous and on edge that it might happen again.
“Your victim was a 77-year-old lady who lived there alone. She was entitled to feel safe and secure in her home. She had to spend money on security to give her peace of mind.”
Garner, who had been on bail, was jailed for one year.