He realised two masked men were in the property
A terrified man hurriedly “fled” and climbed out of a kitchen window after he suddenly discovered to his horror that two burglars wearing balaclavas were lurking around inside the flat. One of the raiders was later identified from telltale DNA on spilled blood that he had left behind at the scene.
He had a lengthy record of serious crime, including being jailed in the past for robbery and blackmail offences, Hull Crown Court heard. Simon Green, 48, of Castle Grove, off Perth Street West, Hull, but recently in custody on remand, admitted burglary on August 3.
Stephen Welch, prosecuting, said that a man left his ground-floor flat in Ashworthy Close, Bransholme, but he was told later that police believed that his home had been burgled. A friend, who had been staying there, heard the police shouting and saw two men in balaclavas inside the premises.
He fled from the scene. It was later discovered that a window had been levered open. The friend’s cap and a mobile phone had been stolen as well as a bracelet, valued at £350, that the occupier had bought for his daughter.
“Blood was left at the scene and this was subsequently identified as that of the defendant,” said Mr Welch. The occupier later said: “This has really shaken me up and I feel unsafe in my own home.
“I have a two-year-old daughter that I see regularly and I feel that I can’t bring her to my home as it isn’t safe. I feel angry that someone has come into my personal space and taken my things that I worked hard for.
“It’s frightening to think what could have happened to my friend if he had not been able to get out or if I had been there with my daughter. We could have come to significant harm.”
Green had previous convictions, including being jailed for nine years for robbery in the 1990s and being locked up for five-and-a-half years in the 2000s for blackmail and breaching a court order. He was jailed for one year in October 2015 for domestic burglary.
Henry Fernandez, mitigating, said that Green had suffered a drug problem since his teenage years and he relapsed into this after losing his methadone prescription before the burglary offence. “He wishes to express his apologies to the victim,” said Mr Fernandez.
“He described his behaviour as horrible. That’s genuine remorse.” Green committed a block of offences in the 1990s while young but his most recent conviction for burglary was 10 years ago and he had not been jailed since then.
Judge John Thackray KC told Green: “All offences of domestic burglary are serious. Some people never recover from the effects of having their house invaded.
“This is a particularly serious example because the home was occupied and you forced your way in, frightening the occupant to the extent that he fled and it was necessary for him to jump out of the kitchen window. You were prepared and had clearly planned this burglary because you and the other man, who has not been identified, were wearing balaclavas.
“At least one of you was wearing Latex gloves. You left your DNA at the scene, which led to your detection. You were equipped for burglary.
“It was late at night. You have a serious and very lengthy record. You were operating with another man.”
Green was jailed for two-and-a-half years.