Bromsgrove burglar is jailed for three years (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)
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Bromsgrove burglar is jailed for three years
4:20pm Tuesday 2nd October 2012 in News
A BROMSGROVE burglar who stole copper pipes from an empty house has been jailed for three years.
Richard Hamilton, of Guild Court, broke into the empty house in Church Road, Bromsgrove, and took a hacksaw to cut away a copper water tank and water piping, which he then sold for scrap.
Worcester Crown Court heard Hamilton had two previous convictions for house break ins which put him into the three strikes category - carrying a minimum sentence of three years.
Diljit Bachada, defending, said the 45-year-old father of three committed the offence in April this year because his benefits had not come through and he had no money.
He had appealed about the cash but he was forced to live on money borrowed from his parents and when he saw the house was unoccupied, he took matters into his own hands.
Hamilton admitted burglary.
Judge John Cavell said he was a persistent offender with previous convictions for burglary and there was no good reason why he should escape the three year sentence.
