Burglar warned to expect lengthy sentence after latest break-in (From The Northern Echo)
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Burglar warned to expect lengthy sentence after admitting Durham break-in
6:00am Friday 16th November 2012 in News
By Bruce Unwin, Chief Reporter (Durham)
A BURGLAR is facing a potential three-year mandatory minimum sentence after admitting breaking into a house earlier this week.
Paul Anthony Graham, 28, today (November 15) pleaded guilty to a charge of burgling a property in Ferens Park, in the Sands area of Durham, with intent to steal, on Monday (NOV 12).
Durham Crown Court heard that the admission puts Graham potentially in line for a mandatory minimum three-year sentence as a third-strike burglar, since the provisions for those responsible for repeatedly breaking into people’s homes were introduced, in 1999.
His barrister, Annelise Haugstad, asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on Graham by the Probation Service.
Judge Paul Sloan agreed and remanded Graham, of Pearson Street, Spennymoor, in custody, to be brought back for sentence on Thursday (NOV 22).
But he told him: “You must understand, the fact I’m adjourning to next week for a pre-sentence report shouldn’t be taken as any indication as to the size of sentence to be imposed.
“You should understand a sentence of custody is inevitable. The question will be the length of that sentence.”
