Jail for Bristol man who burgled neighbour then called police to report break-in

A NEIGHBOUR who called police after a break-in at a flat turned out to be the burglar, a court heard.

Cole Lewis raised the alarm when Alexander Nash's home was raided in September last year and two iPods, a digital camera, laptop computer and XBox games console, together worth £1,200, were stolen.

But not only was Lewis behind the burglary, he also raided other flats at the building where he lived, in Bath Road, Brislington.

He broke in to Mr Nash's home again two months later, stealing valuables including a TV and passports, which he sold in order to buy drugs.

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The 23-year-old was finally caught when Mr Nash reported that some of his mail had been stolen, Bristol Crown Court was told.

Police raided Lewis's flat, said Susan Cavender, prosecuting, and found Mr Nash's bank cards there.

In police interviews the burglar admitted what he had done, telling officers he wore gloves when he kicked the door in.

After admitting two charges of burglary from Mr Nash's flat and asking for burglaries at two other flats at the same address to be considered, Lewis was jailed for three and a half years yesterday.

Tabitha Macfarlane, defending, said her client's main mitigation was his full admissions in interview and early guilty plea.

She said: "He's been in Horfield. I won't repeat exactly what he said, but he's not happy there. He wants to be sentenced and go to a constructive institution where he can undertake work training and education, in plumbing or as an electrician."

Miss Macfarlane said Lewis's father was a builder and had promised to assist him with work on his release.

Recorder Andrew Langdon QC told Lewis, who was already subject to a suspended jail term for a previous burglary: "I know – and you know – the judge would have explained what the suspended sentence meant, and what would happen if you committed a further offence."

Lewis was subject to the "three strike" rule for persistent burglars, which meant he was subject to a minimum jail term of three years.