A drugged-up and “confused” burglar was seen wearing a Juventus T-shirt that he shamelessly stole during a “bizarre” raid on a flat above a football shirts shop.
Prolific criminal Robert Jamieson found the Juventus shirt in an upstairs stockroom for the shop and eagerly put it on – before leaving behind the hoodie that he had been wearing. The occupier suddenly heard noises from above the shop and went to investigate, Hull Crown Court heard.
Jamieson, 39, of St George’s Road, west Hull, but recently in custody on remand, admitted burglary on March 5. Amber Hobson, prosecuting, said that Jamieson entered an upstairs flat above a football shirt shop in Spring Bank, Hull. There was a room that was being used as a stockroom for football shirts for the shop. Jamieson put on a Juventus T-shirt but left behind his own hoodie. The occupier heard noises above him and went to investigate. He asked: “Who’s in my flat?”
Jamieson came out of the flat’s door and, after a short conversation, he left. The occupier went upstairs to investigate. He found that the flat had been ransacked. Drawers had been emptied out onto the floor and £100 had been taken from one of them as well as £63 from a bedside drawer. A laptop had been moved into a carry case but it was not taken.
The occupier ran into the street and shouted to Jamieson, saying that he knew that he had taken some money and telling him to give it back. “The defendant gave him £50 and walked off,” said Miss Hobson.
Jamieson was wearing a black and white Juventus football T-shirt that was missing. “Strangely, the defendant left behind some of his own clothing,” said Miss Hobson.
The occupier later said that he did not expect this sort of thing to happen to him and he had been left in shock that someone had done this. During police interview, Jamieson denied the offences and claimed that he could not remember the events. He had convictions for 66 previous offences, 15 of them theft-related, and he was a “third-strike” burglar.
His most recent offence was for shoplifting this year. He was in breach of a 36-week suspended prison sentence imposed for assaults.
Connor Stuart, mitigating, said it was “bizarre offending” but drugs were at the heart of the case. Jamieson was not particularly aggressive during the incident and he came across more as confused. He claimed that he had not intended to target those premises but he had somehow ended up there.
“He was struggling with substances but he is at a point where he could now kick his addiction to substances and alcohol,” said Mr Stuart. “In due course, he hopes to return to the world of work on his release.”
Jamieson, who had been in custody for seven weeks, was jailed for 158 weeks. He was given a five-year restraining order.