Trevor Sheldrake was also wearing a balaclava, which had been a gift from his wife, and shoes that were several sizes too big for him
Burglar Trevor Sheldrake(Image: Humberside Police)
An unsuspecting householder got the shock of his life when he suddenly spotted in “the corner of his eye” that a sinister-looking intruder – wearing a hi-viz jacket – was lurking around in his home. The shocked man confronted the brazen burglar and yelled: “Oi, what are you doing in my house?”
The intruder quickly fled through the door and out into the garden after the “extremely frightening” confrontation but the brave occupier pursued him and detained him in the street, Hull Crown Court heard. Trevor Sheldrake, 50, of Greenwood Avenue, north Hull, but recently in custody on remand, admitted burglary on February 12.
Jazmine Lee, prosecuting, said that a man was lying on a sofa in his home in Braemar Avenue, off Endike Lane, Hull, at about 10pm before getting up to walk into the kitchen to feed his dog. He noticed that the rear patio door was open.
He remembered closing the door but he did not lock it. He thought that, five minutes earlier, he had heard the door rattling but he put it down to rain. “He went to let his dog out but noticed something in the corner of his eye,” said Miss Lee.
A man – Sheldrake – was standing there in a hi-viz jacket. The occupier shouted: “Oi, what are you doing in my house?” This caused Sheldrake to run out of the house into the garden.
The occupier chased him and was able to detain him further down the street. Sheldrake was wearing a balaclava at the time. He had stolen a purse from the house.
The man later said that someone had entered his home and, as a result, he was going to have to change all the locks so that he and his family could feel safe. “He was concerned about what could have happened if his wife had been at home alone,” said the man.
“His wife was pregnant and this could have caused unnecessary stress for her and the baby.” Sheldrake had convictions for 42 previous offences, including two for burglary.
His most recent dishonesty offence was in 2000. He admitted breaching an eight-week suspended prison sentence imposed for failing to provide a specimen.
Samantha Laws, mitigating, said that Sheldrake had committed burglaries in the past when he was a “hungry and homeless teenager” but he had not committed any similar offences since 2000. “There are significant gaps when he has managed to keep himself out of trouble,” said Miss Laws.
“He is a man who is able to keep himself out of these courts. He can’t remember the offending or any of the aftermath.
“The balaclava was a gift from his wife. It does cover his mouth but the rest of his face is on display. He was also wearing shoes that were several sizes too big for him.”
Father-of-two Sheldrake had been in custody on remand since February. “It is his first taste of custody for some time,” said Miss Laws.
Judge John Thackray KC told Sheldrake: “You entered someone’s home, a place where he was entitled to feel safe and secure, a place where a family live. It must have been extremely frightening for your victim. Some people never recover from having their house burgled.”
Sheldrake was given a two-year suspended prison sentence, a five-month tagged monitoring order and 20 days’ rehabilitation. He was fined £100 for breaching the suspended prison sentence.
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