A DRUG addict who broke into a Bradford nursing home on Christmas Day and stole a 97-year-old man’s presents and television set has been jailed for 32 months.
Shane Metcalfe broke the window to the pensioner’s ground floor flat with a crowbar and searched his room, strewing clothes on the floor and making off with gifts from his family, Bradford Crown Court heard.
Metcalfe, 48, of Little Horton Lane, Bradford, had a lengthy criminal record for a string of offences, ranging from shop theft to commercial and house burglary and robbery, prosecutor Philip Adams said yesterday.
Metcalfe, who appeared before the court on a video link to Leeds Prison, had pleaded guilty to burgling the nursing home when the case was at the magistrates’ court.
His elderly victim had dementia and, although at home when he was burgled early in the morning, he was in a room in the communal area.
The court heard that his family had spared him the news that his room had been raided by an intruder.
The break-in was discovered by a staff member at the nursing home at 9am.
Metcalfe’s barrister, Jayne Beckett, said he had “multiple entrenched addictions” to drugs and alcohol.
He had lost his benefits over the festive period and had no memory of Christmas Day after drinking heavily at a party, the court was told.
There had been “extreme chaos” in Metcalfe’s life and he had also taken various substances.
He apologised to the pensioner and his family and bitterly regretted his actions.
Metcalfe was now free from drugs and had enrolled on an educational programme in prison to improve his maths and English.
Judge Jonathan Rose said Metcalfe had an appalling record for offences of dishonesty and had spent substantial periods of time in prison.
He had previously been offered help with his problems with drugs and alcohol.
His record included offences of house burglary and this break-in was of a “particularly nasty nature.”
Metcalfe walked past the nursing home regularly and must have known that elderly people lived there.
His 97-year-old victim suffered with dementia and mobility issues.
The break-in was planned because Metcalfe took a crowbar while in drink and under the influence of drugs.
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