‘Changed man’ is spared jail (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

‘Changed man’ is spared jail

7:00am Thursday 21st March 2013 in News By Telegraph & Argus

The look-out for a burglary gang who smashed their way into a rural home was spared a jail sentence on his birthday after a court heard he had changed his ways following the death of his father.

Vincent Hawkins was in breach of a suspended jail sentence and a community order when he took part in the raid on the remote house near Goose Eye, Keighley, Bradford Crown Court heard.

He was sentenced to a 12-month community order with supervision, a drug rehabilitation requirement and a six-month electronically monitored curfew order.

Hawkins, 37, of North Parade, Skipton, pleaded guilty to burgling the unoccupied house.

Among the thieves’ haul was a diamond ring.

He and a co-accused were arrested the next day in Asda in Keighley with a rucksack containing swag from the burglary, prosecutor Alexander Menary said.

Hawkins’s barrister, Richard Gioserano, said since the death of his father in September last year, he had done everything he could to prove he could stay out of trouble.

He had been on bail for six months without committing any further offences.