A BURGLAR who smashed a hole in a shop roof so he could steal alcohol told police he was stuck there when they arrived at the scene.

Robert Embleton, of Prospect Terrace, Stanley, had been drinking with friends from about 3pm on Thursday, October 24 until the early hours of the following day.

Whilst walking home, the 27-year-old passed Ahmed’s News and Booze, in Catherine Terrace, Annfield Plain, and decided to climb onto the roof and kick his way into the building to steal cans of lager.

A witness called police and when an officer arrived he noticed a crate of lager on the roof and a man crouching next to it, Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard on Tuesday.

The officer told him to go out the way he had entered the building, but he said he was stuck because the doors were locked.

Prosecutor Orianna Frame said the shopkeeper had locked up and set the alarm on the evening of the 24th and at 5.25am on the 25th received a call from police saying the alarm was going off.

He went to unlock the shop and officers arrested Embleton.

Ms Frame said: “It is not the first time he has been broken into, it will cost a lot to repair the roof, is an inconvenience to him and his family and has a knock-on effect to the business.”

David Harbron, mitigating, said: “The defendant entered an early guilty plea and cooperated with police. This is not a sophisticated crime, he got himself extremely drunk, stamped on the roof and has fallen down and decided to take alcohol from the shop. He accepts his actions, but can’t recall the details.”

Magistrates heard that Embleton has issues with mental health and alcohol misuse but is supported by his family.

At the time of the burglary, Embleton was a tenant in one of the shopkeeper's properties and his mother worked for the victim.

Embleton pleaded guilty to burglary and was sentenced to a 12-month community order, with 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and ordered to pay £250 compensation to the victim.